Transformations
by ThrowbackTuesday
Summary: What begins as a mere physical attraction develops into something more. (Enishi/Kaoru)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin was created by Nobuhiro Watsuki, and this story is only fanfiction, written to satisfy this author's craving to have more of Enishi and Kaoru stories out there.**

 **Note: This fanfiction is an Enishi/Kaoru pairing. If alternate pairings offend you, this is not for you.**

 **This story was written over a year ago. I'm just putting it up to keep some of you entertained while I finish my main project which is still untitled up to this time (TBA). Not much plot here except the evolvement of Kaoru and Enishi's characters. This story was written simply because I feel like such a girl and I wanted Kaoru and Enishi to have some love, lol.**

 **Chapter 1**

Kaoru looked out across the balcony at the never-ending expanse of water in front of her. It was her second day on the island as a prisoner of Yukishiro Enishi, and his words from yesterday still echoed in her mind. _This island is a natural prison. More than twenty miles to the mainland._

After crushing her hopes of escaping by herself, she had locked herself in her room, trying to quell the tears that were threatening to spring from her eyes. She will not give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She steeled her will, and forced herself to think of less dreary thoughts.

However, being cooped up in her room allowed a limited number of less dreary thoughts to fill her mind, and after spending her entire second morning walking back and forth in the small space, she decided to venture out again.

The house in which he held her was massive. Her room was on the second floor, and she knew from hearing his footsteps last night that her captor had the room right across the hall from her. The rest of the house seemed devoid of other life, though she knew some people came and went at varying times.

Kaoru felt his presence behind her, and she turned her head slightly to see Enishi standing by the door to the balcony, leaning his tall frame against the sliding doors. He was wearing a shirt that looked like it might have come from China, but its front buttons were undone, revealing his torso, which was wrapped in bandages. His left arm was in a sling, and there were also several cuts on his cheeks. With the kind of beating he had taken from Kenshin two days ago, she would have expected him to look tired, but his face only wore that neutral expression, his glasses half hiding his eyes from her.

Kaoru's lips tightened, and since he gave no indication of talking to her, she turned her attention back to the sea. It was hard to think of happy thoughts at the moment, though, because she was becoming increasingly aware of the hunger gnawing at her stomach.

"The kitchen is downstairs. No one else uses it. You can make your own food there," Enishi said, as if reading her mind. Kaoru frowned. He most likely heard her stomach growling.

"Are you waiting for Battousai?" he asked, and she could hear the smirk in his voice.

"His name is Kenshin," Kaoru said. "And yes, I am waiting for him."

"Yesterday I said that you won't be here long," he said. "But I doubt he will be coming for you in the next couple of days. Pointless to stay out here looking at the sea."

She finally turned around and looked at him. "Do you… do you have any news of him?" she chanced asking.

He regarded her for a while. "No. My plan for jinchu was to hit him in Tokyo, and I have done that. Now the next move is his. I'm only waiting." The corners of his mouth curved slightly in a smile.

Kaoru's stomach twisted again with worry, then growled more audibly with hunger. Enishi's smile widened. "Go feed yourself in the kitchen Kamiya. I will return you to Tokyo eventually, and I can't do that if you die from hunger."

Kaoru walked to the kitchen, which was big, like the rest of the house. _It's more like a mansion, really,_ she thought as she ran her hand along the counter. It was built modern style, complete with indoor plumbing and furniture which must have been from different places around the world.

The kitchen was well-stocked, she found out, on opening the cabinets. However, she was not a versatile cook, not even a decent one, so she settled for a simple recipe of miso soup and rice balls. As she was spooning the soup into a small bowl, she thought for a second, and spooned more soup into a second bowl for Enishi. Putting a couple of rice balls on the tray beside the soup, she walked back to the veranda where she had left him. He was still there, standing at the same spot where she had been standing earlier.

Kaoru approached him, making sure he heard her footsteps, and laid the tray of food down on a nearby table. She saw him look at the tray with a hint of disbelief. She nodded. "I made dinner. I noticed that you do not have anything to eat either, and…. If I was cooking, I might as well cook for two. You should eat up as well, it will help your injuries heal faster."

He gave her a curt nod and turned his gaze back to the sea.

"I thought you said waiting was pointless," she said, standing by the railing a few feet away from him.

"I wasn't waiting for Battousai," he muttered. His glasses had slipped down his nose and she glimpsed his turquoise eyes narrowing. He suddenly stepped back from the railing and pushed his glasses up his nose.

Kaoru nodded and started to walk back inside. She had left her own food in the kitchen. Before she rounded the corner, though, she looked back to see if he would eat her cooking.

Enishi had sat down by the table, looking at the tray of food in front of him. He picked up the bowl and took a sip of the miso soup. Then he picked up the rice ball to take a bite, but his hand stopped halfway to his mouth. He looked at the rice ball suspiciously before taking a cautious bite. Then his mouth curved into a smirk as he set the rice ball down and resumed his position by the balcony railing.

Kaoru raised her eyebrows in irritation. _All right, I know the rice balls were a little harder than they should be, but… at least I tried to cook for him! Should have just tried to poison him._

She went back to the kitchen to eat her own dinner and thought again of the possibility of poisoning Enishi. It was an attractive idea, she admitted, but she knew she wouldn't be able to do it. She saw his eyes while he was staring at the ocean earlier. He looked a little forlorn.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It had been five days since she had woken up on the island, and Kaoru was getting tired of counting. During her first two days there, she had been dressed in nothing but a bathrobe. Whoever had dressed her, she had no idea, but she suspected it was none other than Enishi. Her skin crawled when she thought about him seeing her unclothed, but since there was nothing more she could do about it, she forced the thought from her mind.

On the third day, she had taken to spending time either cooking in the kitchen or sitting out in the veranda. Whenever she went to the veranda, she brought a blanket and wrapped it around her. The sea breeze was cool, and while it soothed her nerves, it left a chill on her skin.

It was now the fifth day, and as soon as Kaoru opened her eyes, she saw that there was a package left beside her night table. Her eyes widened in surprise. _What could it be…?_

She opened the package and found three kimonos inside, along with a gi and a hakama. The kimonos were exquisite, made of silk, and far more expensive than any piece of clothing she had ever owned. One kimono was red and gold, another was purple and yellow, the third was blue and silver.

Kaoru's lips turned upwards slightly. _He must have seen me walking around with a bathrobe and blanket._

She put on the gi and hakama-the kimonos were too nice to simply wear around the house- and went out of her room to look for Enishi. She found him in the veranda, sitting on one of the chairs.

"Yukishiro-san," she said tentatively.

He raised his eyebrows at her.

"I just wanted to thank you for the kimonos," she said, giving a little bow.

"But you're not wearing them?"

She hesitated. "Well, they were too beautiful to wear just around the house…"

"What are you waiting for, a special occasion?" he asked dryly.

She stiffened at the jab, but he wasn't done talking. "Or perhaps you'd like to wear it when we go down to that nice restaurant a few blocks down the street." He chuckled. "Those kimonos were for wearing around the house, Kamiya. Because that's all there is here."

She glared at him, hating his mirth. "I just wanted to say thank you." She was about to turn around and leave when she saw that he had a roll of bandages on the table in front of him along with a jar of ointment. "Do you need any help?" she asked stiffly.

"No."

She shook her head. "Your arm is in a sling, your entire torso is bruised. You can't possibly wrap those bandages around your abdomen. Don't be a fool." She bit her lip when she realized she had called Enishi a fool.

Enishi pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying unsuccessfully to hide a weary sigh. Then he met her eyes, and Kaoru realized that Enishi was a person who would never admit to needing any help.

Giving a weary sigh herself, she stepped closer to the table and started to unroll the fresh bandage. "Take off your shirt, I'll replace those bandages for you. As payment for those clothes you got for me."

Without a word, Enishi shrugged off his shirt, and Kaoru peeled off the old bandage from around his torso. She had a closer look at his injuries. There were bruises everywhere, but they were turning yellow already, indicating that they were on the way to being healed. There were some abrasions on his back, and Kaoru inspected them closely. "Where did you get these abrasions?"

"I don't remember," he said. "That is what the ointment is for."

"I know. But I need to wash this with clean water first. I'll be back."

She took the old bandages to throw away… they were too soiled to wash, and came back out with a pail of clean water. Enish was waiting for her, sitting perfectly still, his torso bare and bruised, his face unobscured by his glasses, for once.

 _He is not bad looking, if you get past the revenge craziness,_ Kaoru thought. _From what Kenshin had said, Tomoe was very beautiful. It's not a surprise that Enishi would be good-looking as well._

She dipped a washcloth into the water and pressed it to Enishi's back, carefully washing the dried blood away. When his back had dried, she proceeded to apply the ointment where there were breaks in the skin. She then took the bandages and stepped in front of him. He stood up without a word so she could tend to his bandages.

"I'll just wrap these around your torso and we're done," she said. She started to unroll one end and wrapped it around his abdomen at the level of his navel, stretching it around to his back before transferring the bandage to her other hand to complete a circumference around his body. It was easier said than done, he was a large man, and with her small arms Kaoru had to practically step up against his chest in order to complete the task.

 _He is very muscular._ She tried not to think about it any more, but whenever her hand grazed his skin she could feel his hard muscles under her palm. She snuck a look at him. He was gazing down at her, watching her every move. _Now I regret helping him with his bandages,_ she thought ruefully, passing her arms around him a final time before securing the end of the bandage. It was not even mid morning, but she could feel that her face was flushed. She stepped back, and caught the sly look in his eyes.

"Done," she said, fighting to keep her voice steady.

"Thank you, Kamiya," he said, slipping his glasses back on. "Maybe tomorrow I get you more new clothes."

End of chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

She had been there for a whole week already. She had not seen anyone else on the island aside from Enishi, except for a couple of times when a messenger had come to deliver some papers and whom Enishi had dismissed promptly.

She could not sleep that night, and early the next morning she got up, dressed in one of her kimonos, and decided to take a walk in the woods. He had told her she may, that the woods were safe, so she was surprised when after a few minutes of walking she heard the familiar sound of a sword slicing through the air and hitting something. She cautiously followed the sounds and was greeted with the sight of Enishi practicing.

He had taken his shirt and his bandages off. She could see his muscles rippling with every movement that he made as he raised his sword and brought it down for the strike. His footwork was flawless as well. It was entrancing to watch him move, when he was fighting and even just practicing now, he moved with a feline grace that made Kaoru's nerves tingle. He was a perfect picture of a predator who knew how to get his prey.

He paused in his exercises, straightened up, and faced her, resting his sword on his shoulder. She stepped forward as casually as she could, trying to quell the excitement that had been building inside her.

"You've gotten better so quickly, maybe I shouldn't have cooked for you after all," she said.

He pushed his glasses up his nose and smirked. "Don't give yourself too much credit, Kamiya. It was only because I have an iron belly that I was able to keep your food down."

All the giddiness in Kaoru disappeared with that comment, and she glowered at him. "You didn't have to eat it. If you've got so much money from your syndicate you could have just hired a cook!"

He smiled, though his eyes remained serious as he stepped up to her. "I could, but that would mean having another person in the house when all I want is some peace and quiet. I don't mind your cooking, Kamiya. Just… don't give it too much credit."

Kaoru looked up at him, still nursing her injured pride. When he was this close to her, she could see the little beads of perspiration on his chest, and she could smell his slightly musky scent. She had a sudden urge to reach out and touch his chest and feel those muscles beneath her palm. She knew he was powerful, and for a moment she wondered what it would be like to be under that power, to be subdued by it. Realizing that her thoughts were turning dangerous again, she decided to turn around and head back to the house. In her haste, she stumbled upon a tree root and his hand shot out to grab her arm to steady her before she hit the ground.

He released her as soon as she recovered her balance and chuckled. "I do wonder what he sees in you, after he's had nee-san."

If he was trying to make fun of her with that comment, she couldn't tell, but that simple statement drove home everything she had been thinking about and not trying to think about for the past two days. Kenshin had been living with her for over a year now, and she had made it known on more than several occasions that she cared about him deeply. His responses have been ambivalent. Sometimes he made her feel special, sometimes he made her feel no different from their other friends.

"I also wonder that," she answered after a while. "Or if he sees anything in me at all."

Enishi stopped walking. "What do you mean? Are you not my sister's replacement?"

"No, I'm not her replacement." She shook her head. "Each person is different, Enishi, and can never be replaced."

"But does he not love you as well?"

She whirled around to face him. "I don't know!" she said, not realizing that she had raised her voice. "I don't know the answer to that question. If you had asked me if he will come to rescue me, then I can answer yes. Because I know he will do that, the same way he would rescue Sano, Megumi, or Yahiko had you taken one of them instead." She raised a hand as if to hit him, but thought better of it and crossed her arms in front of her instead.

She took a deep breath. "That's where your Jinchu is flawed, Enishi. You think that he loves me like that. If he did, he wouldn't take this long to come and get me."

They came into the view of the house, and she stopped walking again. "I am sorry for my outburst. I think I want to walk around some more."

She left him by the front steps and returned to the woods to collect herself. She did not end up walking far, collapsing against a large tree as she buried her face in her hands and finally allowed herself the tears she had been denying the past week. She cried for herself and her unrequited love, she cried for Kenshin and his never-ending guilt, and she cried for Enishi and his flawed Jinchu. She must have sat there for almost half an hour until her tears had stopped coming. When her sobs were reduced to nothing more than an occasional hiccup followed by a deep breath, she looked up to see Enishi standing over her, holding out a handkerchief.

She said nothing as she took it, wiping her face clean. Surprisingly, he sat down on the ground beside her and leaned back against the same tree trunk.

"My Jinchu is not flawed," he said. "He does care for you more than you know."

He paused, as if weighing something in his mind. "The reason why he hasn't come after you yet is because he thinks you are dead."

Kaoru looked at him in confusion. "Why would he think that?"

"When I abducted you, I left a doll in the dojo, made by Gein to look like a real person. I put a sword through its heart and a cross scar on its cheek. That is the start of my Jinchu."

Kaoru gasped. _If Kenshin had seen that… if he had seen that… how it would destroy him…_ "What happened to him?" she whispered.

"He chained up his useless sakabatou and exiled himself in Rakuninmura."

"He's still there?"

"Yes."

"And the others? Yahiko?"

"They held a memorial service for you. It was quite touching. They are still in mourning, but aside from you they are also tending to Battousai but so far he hasn't moved for any of them. So you see, Kamiya, Battousai does care for you and is now in a living hell for failing to protect you. My Jinchu worked."

Kaoru but her lip, thinking of the thoughts that were surely tormenting Kenshin. _Everyone thinks I am dead,_ she realized. No one was going to rescue her. Was she bound to stay on this island for the rest of her life? "What do you intend to do with me?" she asked.

"That is still to be determined. Nee-san is not smiling for me yet. You still have a role to play." He suddenly stood up and started pacing back and forth.

"They will find out I'm still alive," Kaoru said, believing in her friends. "They will find out and they will come for me."

He laughed humorlessly. "Yes, I am hoping they do hurry and come to get you."

Her breath hitched as she understood his plan. "You mean to kill me in front of him."

"Yes."

She stood up and faced him squarely. "You said you would return me to Tokyo!"

He turned to her and raised his voice to match hers. "That was before I realized nee-san is still not smiling. She's not happy her replacement is still alive!" His hands shot up to her throat and he started to strangle her. "Jinchu is not complete while you are still alive!"

"Enishi…" Kaoru gasped as her air was cut off. His eyes had gone wild, and she did not know if he was still in this world standing in front of her or if he had gone someplace else where reason could not reach him anymore. She closed her eyes as her vision started to dim, and just when she thought she was going to pass out, he released her, shoving her away from him. They both collapsed on the grass, Kaoru, her back against the tree, and Enishi in front of her on his knees, bent over, panting, his hands tearing at his hair.

 _What happened?_ Kaoru thought, bringing a hand up to her throat.

"Nee-san, why are you still not smiling? Do you really want me to kill her?" he whispered under his breath.

Kaoru looked at him, searching for the anger and resentment that she should be feeling, but all she found was sympathy. In her heart, now, she knew that Enishi couldn't kill her even if he wanted to. The memory of his sister was too great and he could not harm anyone that reminded him of Tomoe. That was why he had a puppet made. _And that is why he is not totally lost, not yet,_ she thought. _He still loves his sister. As long as he still loves, he is not yet lost._

"Enishi," she murmured, reaching out slowly to touch his shoulder. He stiffened for a brief moment, then he relented when she pulled him towards her, letting him rest his head on her lap. She pushed his hands away from his hair as she stroked his head, weaving her fingers through his white hair. They stayed that way for a while, and Kaoru knew Enishi was pulling himself together.

After several minutes, he stood up, then looked down at her and offered his hand. She took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Silently, they walked back to the house.

"I will make lunch," she said quietly once they reached the front door.

"I will not kill you, Kamiya," he said. "I give you my word." His eyes flicked to her neck, where bruises from his fingers were starting to show, and his lips tightened. With a quick nod, he retired to the library.

End of chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A few days later, Kaoru woke up and was pleasantly surprised to see a bokken leaning against her night table. She eagerly grabbed it, running her hand along its length. It had a good grip, and she could find no complaints about the weight distribution.

She dressed in a gi and hakama and stepped out of her room to give the bokken a try in the woods. Enish was just getting out of his room, his sword resting against his left shoulder, dressed for his morning practice as well. Unfortunately for Kaoru, his attire for morning practice consisted of blue pants and a bare torso.

"Good morning," she said, holding up the bokken. "Thank you for this."

"You're welcome," he said. He gestured with his hand, indicating that she walk ahead of him.

Kaoru led the way downstairs, hoping her blush was not too obvious. _To think that I would still be attracted to him after he almost killed me!_

But it was impossible for her to hate him after that strangling incident. Since that time, he had been more cordial to her, thanking her whenever she brought him food, and acknowledging her whenever she crossed paths with him in the house.

 _Maybe it's his way of saying sorry?_ She mused, walking on through the woods, steering clear of Enishi's established practicing area. _I am not expecting a verbal apology, but it's kind of nice that he is not totally ignoring me anymore considering that we're the only people on this island._

"Do you intend to walk through the whole island or are you actually going to practice?" His voice broke through her train of thoughts.

"What?" She gripped her bokken as she whirled around to see him following her. "Why are you following me? You have your own practice area!"

He shrugged, setting his sword down against a tree. "I thought I'd watch you practice today."

"Watch me?" Kaoru blanched. No one had ever watched her before. Well, no one that was so experienced in swordsmanship. Ayame and Suzume watched her sometimes, and Yahiko. Kenshin mostly ignored her when she practiced, he was almost always busy doing chores around the house anyway.

"Yes. I let you watch me practice, don't I?" He crossed his arms.

"Yes…" She suddenly felt shy.

"What, you think no one is going to watch you when you're in a fight?" he smirked.

She glared at him. "Fine." She turned around and tried to ignore him, gripping her bokken and going through some of the basic swings and thrusts. However, her frustration at having an unwelcome audience made her movements clipped. She stopped after a few more tries and sighed, closing her eyes and rolling her shoulders back several times to loosen her muscles.

Suddenly, a pair of strong hands was at her shoulders, kneading the muscles there. "You are too tense," he said.

"I have a lot of things on my mind," she said, rolling her head around. She had to admit, his hands were doing a good job on her shoulders. She could feel the muscles loosening up.

"That's why I got you the bokken. I thought some kenjutsu might take your mind off things." He stopped massaging her shoulders and stepped back. "Perhaps I should leave you alone… or…" His voice trailed off.

She turned to face him. "Or?"

A small smile touched his lips. "Or we could spar."

She eyed his tachi. "You are better skilled than me, and our weapons are not a match." The instant she stopped speaking, she knew she was wrong, and shook her head.

"No, we don't get to choose our opponents, or our opponent's weapons," he said, nodding. He dropped into his battle stance. "Come on, Kamiya. Humor me."

Kaoru adopted her sword stance and anticipated Enishi's attack. He came at her fast, swinging his sword in a horizontal slash. Kaoru pivoted to the side to dodge the attack and swung her bokken around to strike at Enishi's sword arm, but he pivoted along with her and managed to stay out of her reach. Thus they continued to dance around each other, exchanging lunges, slashes and parries. For the first time in days, Kaoru felt herself come alive again, feeling the blood rush through her body, her heart rate racing, her breath coming fast. They must have sparred for quite some time, but after a while, Kaoru's body finally gave way and she stumbled. Enishi caught her by the waist and righted her as he moved his tachi out of the way.

"I said humor me, Kamiya, not amuse me," he said, his lips curling into that now familiar smirk.

Kaoru leaned on her bokken as she struggled to catch her breath. She could not think of any retort to that, so she settled on glaring at him instead. He did not even break out a sweat.

"Well," Enishi said, sheathing his tachi and raising both arms around his head as he stretched. "That warm up got me hungry, I could eat anything you cook for lunch and actually be thankful for it."

Without warning, Kaoru hit him with her bokken, making contact with his torso. He took a step back, eyes widening in surprise, before dissolving into laughter.

Kaoru stared at him, not believing what had happened. Not only had she hit Enishi, but he had actually laughed, a real laugh, full of mirth. It had no trace of the malice she had heard when he taunted Kenshin back at the dojo. Kaoru found it nice. _I wish he could laugh like that more often._

End of chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**Note: This chapter is short, mainly because it was originally written as a lemon and I had to edit it before putting it up here. It still contains an adult scene, though graphic descriptions have been trimmed down very much. If you're too young to be reading this sort of thing, then be responsible and just go on to the next chapter.**

 **Chapter 5**

Kaoru rolled into bed. It was another day spent sparring with Enishi. It always made her feel bone tired whenever they finished, but she welcomed it for it sent her to sleep faster with less time for idle thoughts. During her first few days on the island, her thoughts were of Kenshin and the friends she had left behind. These thoughts were slowly being replaced by thoughts of Enishi.

Their sparring sessions were her favorite part of the day. She knew his speed, knew he was a match for Kenshin, but he didn't use his full power when he was exchanging blows with her. He used just enough to challenge her, to push her, and she could feel her confidence growing. For instance, she no longer balked whenever he faced her to start his attack.

 _I just wish he'd dress up more when we spar. His body is distracting enough as it is,_ she thought. When she added the piercing turquoise eyes and the feline grace to the picture, she wished he wasn't her revenge-crazed captor.

In fact, she wished he was someone else, an ordinary man she met on the street. _But then, if he was an ordinary man, he wouldn't be Enishi,_ she thought. No, she liked Enishi the way he was, including that smirk he often gave her.

Kaoru touched her lips, wondering what it would be like to have him kiss her, to have his hands touch her the way a man touches a woman. Without realizing it, Kaoru's hand had travelled down to her sex and she started to pleasure herself. Her eyes fluttered shut as she imagined him leaning over her, touching her with his deft hands.

She sighed as she gave in to her pleasure, her lips quietly forming his name. "Enishi…"

"Yes," a deep voice said.

Kaoru's eyes shot open to see the object of her imagination standing over her bed. It took her two seconds to realize that he was really standing there, and she slowly started to pull her hand out of her undergarments.

"No, please continue," he said, climbing into the bed so he was above her, straddling her with his legs. He bent over, supporting himself with his left arm while his right hand caught hers, guiding it back to where it was. She stayed frozen, however, and his smile widened.

"Shall I continue it for you, then?" He slipped his hand into her smallclothes and Kaoru gasped loudly at the delicious jolt it sent through her entire body, and she threw her head back with a sigh.

Enishi continued his ministrations, making her moan. She moved her hips to the rhythm of his touch. She moaned again. "Oh, Enishi…"

"Yes, I'm here," he murmured, dipping his head to catch her lips in a searing kiss. He sucked on her lower lip briefly before nudging his tongue inside her to engage her tongue in a slow tortuous dance.

Kaoru ran her hands over his back, finally fulfilling her desire to touch his body. She felt his hard muscles tighten with every movement that he made, and she sighed as she thought about how much she wanted to be overpowered by him.

Kaoru felt her pleasure building. He broke off the kiss to look at her with smoldering eyes as his hand quickened its pace.

"Enishi," she gasped, lifting her head.

"Do you like that?" he whispered. "Come for me, Kaoru."

"Yes, don't stop," she said. Kaoru hit her peak, letting out a small cry as wave upon wave of pleasure washed over her. "Enishi!" she gave one final should as he finished her off.

Kaoru let out a shaky breath as she groped him the dark. Her hand brushed against his erect member, and he chuckled as he pressed his groin to hers, showing her how aroused he was. She fumbled with his pants to start taking them off, but then he seized both her hands and pinned them firmly above her head.

"Enishi?" she asked, meeting his eyes.

"No," he said, after gazing at her for several long seconds. As if to soften his rejection, he bent down to plant a chaste kiss on her lips. "I respect you, Kaoru. You are vulnerable right now, being stuck here on this island with just me. It wouldn't be right to take you. I also don't want to settle for being a mere bedwarmer. When you are no longer my prisoner, and you still feel the same way, then perhaps…" He pushed himself off the bed to stand up.

Kaoru sat up on the bed, pulling her yukata closer around her. "Wait… you are being polite now? After… but… you already touched me!"

He liked his fingers, the ones he had inside of her a few minutes ago. "Well, you already got started. I thought I could at least help out. Besides, you looked like you really needed it," he added, giving her that smirk.

Kaoru fell back into her pillows and groaned in frustration.

Enishi turned to go. "Get some sleep, Kaoru. It's late."

End of Chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Neither of them brought it up afterwards. He continued to treat her cordially, except now he called her by her given name, with the occasional snide remarks whenever he felt like it. Kaoru did not mind. She preferred his poking fun at her cooking or her kendo to his Jinchu talk.

 _Come to think of it, he doesn't mention jinchu anymore lately,_ she thought. She wandered out into the veranda, and was surprised to see Enishi standing there, looking out to the inlet that led to the island, where a ship was coming. Her heart skipped a beat. _Is it Kenshin!?_

He turned slightly when he sensed her. "I need to go to the mainland for some urgent business. I have arranged for someone to stay with you while I am away."

"How long will you be gone?" Kaoru asked, feeling an unexpected pang at the thought of him leaving. _I really hate it when people leave me behind._

He shrugged noncommittally. "Come, I'll introduce you to her."

"Her?" she echoed.

He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I wouldn't leave you alone on this island with another man, would I?" he asked rhetorically. "Not all men have the same self-control as me." He smiled smugly when he saw her blush, reminding her what had happened the other night.

They walked down to the beach, arriving just as the small boat docked on the sand. A woman alighted from the boat, her step light as she walked on the sand. She appeared to be Chinese, with jet black hair and small black eyes that were looking at Enishi apprehensively.

Enishi spoke to the woman in rapid Chinese, none of which Kaoru understood, but she recognized the commanding authority in his tone. The girl nodded respectfully, and Enishi turned to Kaoru. "This is Li-an," he said, nodding towards the girl. "She does not understand or speak Japanese."

"How am I going to communicate with her, then?" Kaoru asked testily.

Enishi didn't answer her, at least not in words. But as he turned away she caught an amused smile on his lips as he leaped onto the boat that would take him to the ship. Kaoru watched after him, hands on her hips. _He's just leaving me on this island with someone who I can't even talk to! Is he… is he just going to leave me here?_ Her heart twisted at the thought that he might just never come back. If Kenshin was in Rakuninmura with no intention of looking for her, if her friends all thought she was dead, if she had stopped existing in this world…

"Enishi!" she cried, a trace of panic in her voice, stepping ankle deep into the water, shouting at his retreating back.

She watched as he boarded the larger ship, refusing to move from the spot until the ship had become a mere speck in the distance. She pressed her lips together in frustration and sighed. She turned to see Li-an looking at her, then the Chinese girl pointed to the direction of the house.

"I'd like to stay out here a bit longer," Kaoru said, pointing to the beach.

The girl spoke again in Chinese, and Kaoru could hear the panic in her voice. She kept pointing to the house.

 _Enishi probably told her not to let me out of her sight,_ Kaoru said, sighing again. "Fine, let's just go back to the house," she muttered, walking back ahead of the girl. When they reached the house, Li-an tapped Kaoru on the shoulder and pointed to the direction of the kitchen, saying something.

Not wanting to have a wordless debate with her, Kaoru followed, and was surprised when Li-an pointed Kaoru to a chair. The Chinese girl then proceeded to move around the kitchen, starting a fire on the stove. Kaoru sat down, eyebrows raised. _She's going to cook for me?_

She propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands, watching the girl. She wondered how many people worked under Enishi in his syndicate. She did not know how large the syndicate was, but if they were able to provide Shishio Makoto with a battleship then it must be a very big organization.

 _How could Enishi work his way up such an organization, starting from practically nothing when he came to China?_ She knew he was smart, and he was shrewd. She knew he was a predator, which meant he knew how to go after things that he wanted.

 _I wonder what urgent business he needed to take care of… He brought his tachi with him. Is it dangerous?_ Kaoru looked out the window, nursing that familiar feeling of worry she always felt when Kenshin or Sanosuke had to go and take care of something. _Why am I worrying about him? My life would be so much simpler if he dies._

Yet she knew she could never wish that for Enishi. She could never wish death for anyone. She frowned. _I'm too nice. Maybe that is why I always end up… I always end up…_

She knew her life had not been an easy life, but it did not stop her from being nice and for appreciating life. It was what her father had taught her, and she would not exchange that for anything else. She had no money, but she took in Kenshin and Yahiko without a second thought. _I still have no money, but I've gained a family in the end and that is more important. But… it is also nice to have this luxury,_ she added as an afterthought, looking around the kitchen, the large house, and fingering her silk kimono. _But Enishi… he doesn't have happiness in his life either. All these material things are just a means for him, a means to effect jinchu, all for the love of his sister and his hatred for Kenshin._

Her mouth turned downwards in a pout. Li-an said something to her, and Kaoru looked up. The other girl looked worried. Kaoru gave her a smile. "I'm all right," she said, hoping that she sounded reassuring.

Li-an placed a bowl of steaming hot noodles in front of her, and Kaoru took a taste. Her blue eyes widened. "This is good!" she exclaimed, looking at Li-an.

Li-an seemed to understand, and she nodded happily, getting a serving for herself as well. They ate in silence, and when they were done, Li-an took care of the dishes as well.

Kaoru thanked her, giving her a small bow, before going up to her room to wash her face and take care of other personal needs. She changed into her gi and hakama, wanting to get some practice done even without Enishi, and was surprised when she turned the doorknob to see that it was locked from the outside.

"Li-an!" Kaoru cried, pounding on the door.

Li-an spoke to her in Chinese from the other side, but without seeing her face Kaoru had absolutely no idea what she was saying.

"Let me out!" she said, continuing to pound on the door. "Enishi lets me walk around the island freely."

Li-an continued to talk, and Kaoru felt her temper rise. "Li-an!" she yelled, giving the door a good hit with her bokken. It was no good, though… the door was made of hard wood.

Kaoru threw her bokken across the room and it hit her dresser. _She can't keep me prisoner like this!_ She fumed. She stalked to the bed and sat down on it, forcing her breaths to come evenly. Yelling or even talking to Li-an will not work, she couldn't understand Japanese.

Kaoru stood up and walked to the window. _I have no intention of being kept a prisoner like this, not when I have no intention of escaping anyway!_ She considered a tree that stood a few meters away from the window. _Yes, I can make that jump,_ she decided. She retrieved her bokken, tossed it out the window, and climbed out, leaping onto a nearby tree branch easily enough. She lowered her body using her arms before dropping to the ground safely.

Kaoru grinned as she looked up her bedroom window. _No way you're keeping me cooped up in my room,_ she silently told Li-an. She picked up her bokken and made her way to the woods, eager to get away from the house lest Li-an see her making her escape.

She walked through the woods, relishing her freedom. She often walked here alone, when Enish was busy with something else or when he was content to just sit at the veranda. _He really is easygoing when it comes to what I do here,_ Kaoru thought, absentmindedly picking up a small white flower. _How long have I been here? A week? Two weeks? I don't know anymore,_ she thought, frowning. She had stopped counting the days when she had stopped feeling like a prisoner.

She found a practice area far enough from the house. She did not know if Li-an would come looking for her if she discovered that she had gone, or if Li-an would be complacent that Kaoru remained locked up in her room.

She spent two hours practicing, after which she got bored. _I didn't realize how much fun I had sparring with Enishi,_ she thought, sitting down for a rest. _Doing it just by myself now seems lonely. I believed my kendo has improved since I've been here. I feel stronger._

She sighed as she rested her bokken against her left shoulder. She had a view of the ocean from where she sat, and she could see the sun setting. There was no sign of any ship. She wondered how long Enishi was going to be away. _I don't want to spend another day with Li-an,_ she thought morosely. _I actually prefer Enishi's meanness. At least I understand it._

She sat for a few more hours, not wanting to go back to the house at all unless Enishi was there or unless Li-an was removed. It had already grown dark, and the wind was getting colder. Kaoru got to her feet, resigned that sooner or later, she would have to surrender and return to the house. She wondered if Li-an had realized she was no longer in her room.

She got to the tree outside her window and proceeded to climb it, leaving her bokken outside. She had decided to just come back for it in the morning. There was no way she could make that jump while holding her bokken. Carefully, she balanced herself on a sturdy tree branch and gauged the distance to her window. Counting silently to three, she leaped, arms outstretched, ready to grasp the window sill and hoist herself up. However, just as she had started her jump, a particularly strong gust of wind blew her way and shut her window.

Kaoru gasped as her hands hit glass, clawing at anything she could hold on to, before she started slipping, landing on the ground below. _Curse that wind…!_ She clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle the agonizing moan that came out of her involuntarily as she registered pain in her left ankle. _Is my ankle broken?_

Taking a deep breath and reminding herself that she was an adult and there was no need to cry, she gingerly felt around her left ankle. It was throbbing with pain, but she had no problems moving it. _Probably just a sprain,_ she concluded. _But how do I get back to my room?_

Kaoru got up to her feet and found her bokken. Using it to help prop up her weight, she walked slowly into the house through the front door, which was thankfully open. Careful to put as little weight on her injured foot as possible, she walked up the stairs, quietly passing by Li-an's room, not wanting to deal with the girl tonight. She tried her door, which was, of course, still locked. _That little witch meant to lock me up in my room all day and night with no food and water,_ she thought irritably.

She looked around in the darkness. It was amazing how well she knew the house already, she could navigate her way around it even without any light. She wanted to rest and sleep more than food, for the pain in her ankle was getting worse and sleep would be the only thing that would give her relief. Seeing Enishi's door, her eyebrows went up. _I wonder if Enishi locked his door?_

She hobbled over to it, and was delighted when she turned the knob and the door gave way. _Yes! I'll sleep here tonight and tomorrow I'm going to give that Li-an an earful. I don't care if she understands me or not._

She closed the door, locked it, and turned on the light, blinking in the sudden brightness. It was the first time she had seen the inside of Enishi's room. It had a bed in the corner, a double bed, like the one in her room. At one corner was a coffee table, of western style, flanked by two small chairs. There was a vanity table at the other end, beside a door that she supposed led to the bathroom. The room was neat, basic, and impersonal. Letting out a weary breath, Kaoru turned off the light and fell into Enishi's bed, snuggling into the comfortable pillows, slightly comforted with the faint scent of Enishi clinging to the covers.

 _Who would have thought I would actually miss that man,_ she thought, a wry smile coming to her lips. _I'll take Enishi over Li-an any day!_

As soon as Kaoru drifted from sleep to wakefulness, she registered again the pain in her ankle. _I was hoping it was just a bad dream,_ she thought, groaning lightly. She stretched her arms to the side, and was surprised when her fingers brushed against something warm. _What the…_

Her eyes flew open to look straight into Enishi's eyes. He was lying down in bed beside her, looking down at her with an unreadable expression in his blue eyes. Kaoru sat up, her head spinning with the sudden movement. "Enishi! What are you doing here?" she gasped.

"I'm lying down in my bed?" he answered her skeptically. "What about you, Kaoru, what are you doing here?"

Kaoru bit her lip and looked at him, then she looked at the bed they were sharing, not knowing what to say or how to even begin explaining it. She recalled the previous day's events, irritation won out over the other feelings battling inside her. "You left me with that girl! She locked me in my room!"

Enishi stretched in bed and rolled to his side, shutting his eyes against the glare of the morning sun. "If she locked you in your room, how did you end up here?"

"I went out through the window but I couldn't get back in," she said.

"Your room is open now, and I've sent Li-an away," he said in a dismissive tone. "Now go so I can actually use my own bed."

Kaoru scrambled off the bed, thankful that he hadn't said anything else. She got to her feet, momentarily forgetting her injury, but being painfully reminded of it with her first step. She gasped as she quickly transferred all of her weight to her right foot.

"What happened to your foot?" Enishi asked, propping himself up on one elbow.

"I injured it when I was trying to get back into my room through the window," she confessed.

He sighed as rolled out of bed to kneel in front of her. He touched her ankle gently, feeling the bones. Kaoru winced at the pressure. "It's not broken, but you need to keep your weight off it for the next few days," he said after a while. He stood up, and without another word, he lifted her into his arms to carry her to her room.

He set her down on her bed, more gently than she expected. "Ah… thank you," she said. "Yes I'll keep my weight off it for now."

He nodded, businesslike. "Wait here." He left the room, and Kaoru looked after him wonderingly. He returned a minute later with a bag of cold water and a roll of bandages. "I need to bandage it so your foot stays in the proper position while it heals, and the cold water should help reduce the swelling a little bit faster," he said, expertly rolling the bandage around her foot and up her ankle with his deft hands.

She gazed at him as he did this, noticing that he looked tired. "What time did you get back?" she asked.

"Just before dawn," he answered.

"Did your business go well?"

"Yes."

She looked at the tight expression on his face. "I'm sorry for the trouble," she said as he finished tying the bandage.

He nodded, pressing his lips together. "Put this cold water bag on your ankle for half an hour."

He stood to go, but she touched his arm. "Are you mad at me?" she asked. He hadn't been this cold to her in days, and it was bothering her.

He settled back down at the edge of her bed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, I'm mad at Li-an. That stupid whore kept you in your room like a prisoner and caused all of this to happen," he said, gesturing to her foot. "If I had known this had happened, I would have broken her ankle before I sent her away in exchange for yours."

"Oh," Kaoru said, taken aback by how far he would go. "Well, it's fine, it will heal," she assured him. "You look tired. Why don't you go back to bed, I'll cook something for when you wake up."

She started to swing her legs down to the floor but he clamped a hand on her knee, preventing her from moving. "I said keep your weight off it," he said.

"I can stand fine on one foot," she said. "Besides, I need to get something to eat as well, I'm hungry, I didn't have any dinner last night."

"I brought back some food from last night," Enishi said. "I'll get it for you, you can eat in the veranda." He got up, stooped to gather her in his arms for the second time that morning, and proceeded to carry her out to the veranda. Kaoru turned her head away to hide her blush. Enishi was so tall and muscular, it was so easy for him to pick her up and carry her around.

"You don't need to carry me around, you know," she said as he set her down by one of the chairs in the veranda.

"I know," he said. "But you seem to like it," he added, flashing her a wicked smile.

Kaoru blushed a deeper shade of red, and he chuckled, the low, rumbling sound pleasant in her ears. "I don't really get carried around much," she admitted.

"I'd better not let you get used to it, then," he said teasingly. "I will get the food."

He returned a few minutes later with two bento boxes on a tray. He set one box down in front of Kaoru and sat down across from her with his own box. "I took these home with me last night," he said.

Kaoru opened the box to find an assortment of sushi. The corners of her mouth lifted at the beautiful presentation of the food. She took her chopsticks to take her first bite and closed her eyes in delight. "This is very nice," she said. "Thank you."

"Yes, I thought you would like it," he said, looking at her.

"I thought you wanted to sleep," she said, wondering why he was eating here with her. If he thought he needed to take care of her just because she had hurt her foot, he was wrong, and she was ready to send him off to bed.

"Yes, but I think this is a rare moment to pass up," he said, looking at the sushi. "The two of us actually eating _good_ food together."

"Enishi!" She glared at him.

He ignored her, finishing the rest of his bento box. He set it down on the table and gazed out into the ocean. Kaoru finished her meal as well. They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the morning, each in their own way.

"Can you tell me what that business was that you had to take care of?" she asked, curious.

"I had to get some papers about the syndicate. I couldn't let anybody else do it for me," he said. "It deals with delicate matters."

"Do you trust no one?" she asked. "No one in your syndicate?"

"No one," he confirmed.

 _That is why he is tired,_ she thought. _He doesn't rest well when he is among them, I suppose._ "Well, that was a good meal," she said. "Go to bed. You look tired. I promise I won't try and escape," she joked, pointing at her foot.

The corner of his mouth lifted. "All right," he said, standing up and taking a step towards her.

"No, I can walk," she said, hastily holding up her hand before he could lift her up again.

"But you can't run," he said, picking her up anyway against her protests.

Kaoru put her hands over her mouth as she laughed. It was the first time she had laughed since being brought to the island. This morning, she almost felt relaxed with him as they sat out in the veranda, and he seemed relaxed as well. Enishi was not her enemy, he never was. _But now, he's becoming more of a friend as well. A crazy friend, but a friend nonetheless._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Kaoru had just finished cooking lunch, tofu with assorted vegetables, but when she went to the veranda where they usually ate, Enishi wasn't there. Puzzled, she went to the library, the only place in the house he would likely be at this time. Sure enough, she found him sitting at his desk, reading some papers.

She cleared her throat. "Do you wish to take your lunch here?"

He looked up. "Yes."

She set the tray on the table, meaning to leave him his meal and to take her own out to the veranda, but he stood up and got a chair for her, placing it across the table from him.

Kaoru sat down and glanced at the papers. They were official-looking, and some of them bore Enishi's neat signature at the bottom.

He noticed her looking at them. "I'm turning over control of the syndicate to someone else," he explained.

"Oh?"

He nodded. "I only used it to fund the preparation of my jinchu. I don't need it now. " He paused. "To tell you the truth, running the syndicate gives me plenty of headaches."

"I can imagine," Kaoru murmured, wondering how he could have learned to do all that.

"I just need to be careful with these turnover contracts. Heishin, the number two, is very shrewd. I wouldn't be surprised if he cheated some money off of me. He annoys me."

The way Enishi's eyes narrowed as he said those last words sent a chill down Kaoru's spine. When Enishi was serious, he was frightening. Kaoru missed his open laughter, the one she had heard when she had hit him with her bokken. She didn't want to try hitting him with her bokken now, the way he looked.

"How did you learn all that? Running the syndicate?"

"I read a lot," he said, gesturing to his library. "I learned how to work the money. But aside from having the knowledge, I also had to show everyone that I have the strength to enforce myself. That part wasn't so hard, considering how I worked my way into the syndicate."

"What exactly did you do?" Kaoru asked, though she already had an idea.

"When I first came to China, I was adopted by a wealthy elderly couple. I killed them and took their fortune for myself." His eyes met hers, waiting for her reaction.

Kaoru took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Enishi would have been just a child then, only a little older than Yahiko. What he did was repulsive, but when she looked at him now, was she repulsed? No. She saw him as a man who had been a victim of the times, a man who had made bad decisions. She could not call him evil, for she could still see kindness in him. He still loved his sister, and that love kept him from completely going over the edge.

"Well," she said slowly, stirring her vegetables. "It's a good thing I'm not wealthy then. Otherwise Yahiko or Kenshin might have tried to kill me."

"You make a joke of it, but I know you disapprove of my methods."

"I do," she said. "But that was more than ten years ago. It's useless to hold it over you now. What I do care about is the present and the future."

"The present, then," Enishi said, still gazing at her. "What can you say about the present? Do you disapprove of my methods?"

"Of course I do!" she answered. "You blew up Tae's restaurant, you attacked and wrecked my dojo, you kidnapped me and made my friends believe that I am dead."

"Do you wish none of this had happened then?" he asked, scowling.

She looked down at her hands. The obvious answer would be yes, but if he hadn't come back to Japan, she wouldn't have met him, wouldn't have had those moments when he made her feel like a woman, wouldn't have seen those little bits of goodness in him, wouldn't have had a chance to spar with him and develop her own skills in the process. She knew these were little things compared to the grief and destruction he had brought, but these little things were like treasures to her.

"I believe things happen for a reason, Enishi. If this is the way things are now, it's because… it's because… maybe something greater will come out of all this."

"You're such an optimist," he scoffed. "Even now, you refuse to hate me. Why?" He removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, giving a weary sigh. "Well, whatever grander things are going to happen, we shall see. Your friends have discovered that you are still alive. I'm sure they will locate us soon and they will come for you."

Kaoru's heart leaped. Her friends were coming, no doubt about it. She was going to see them again! Then she looked at Enishi's grim face, and her elation was short-lived. "What are you going to do?"

"What would you have me do?"

He was seriously asking her, but she knew she could not tell him. "I can't tell you that, Enishi. This is your jinchu, and no matter what I think, you need to finish it yourself. To tell you what I want you to do would be selfish of me. Besides, you already know what I want."

He stood up abruptly and slammed his fists down on the table, upsetting his empty bowl. "Yes, I know what you want. But I also knew what my sister wanted, and she's still not smiling for me!" He turned around in frustration and slammed his forehead against the bookcase behind him. "She wanted to see Battousai suffer and I have done that but she hasn't smiled. I want to see her smile so much, but I can't kill you!" He slammed his forehead again into the bookcase.

"Enishi!" Kaoru cried, standing up and coming around the table to stand between him and the bookcase. He was not sane at the moment, but she stepped up to him to put her hands on either side of his face. She rested her cheek against his chest and she could feel his heart pounding. "Please stop hurting yourself."

His breathing was ragged, and she knew he was trying to get his control back. "I'm sorry," he whispered, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I don't know if nee-san wants you dead. I don't think so. Nee-san was a kind person and she wouldn't want you hurt. You have been nothing but kind to me. I know how you feel about Battousai, and I know what you want, I know you want me to stop my jinchu, but I can't, Kaoru, I'm sorry. I have to fight Battousai when he comes for you."

His apology was so heartfelt that Kaoru closed her eyes. _He feels like he has no choice, and his mind is being torn._ "It's all right, Enishi," she said. "You do what you feel you have to do."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It had always been just her and Enishi on the island, so when they were out walking by the beach one afternoon, Kaoru was surprised to see a man walking towards them surrounded by four larger men who appeared to be his bodyguards.

"That's Heishin," Enishi said, his voice becoming acrid. "What's the pig doing here?"

 _His number two,_ Kaoru thought, remembering.

"Enishi," Heishin said, raising his hands as greeting. He cast a curious glance at Kaoru before turning his attention back to his boss. "I have news of your enemy."

"What?"

Heishin leaned forward eagerly. "That giant with the Armstrong cannon, he escaped from the police station and started attacking Tokyo, looking for Battousai. This kid armed with a bamboo sword tried to stand up to him-"

"Yahiko!" Kaoru exclaimed, not being able to help herself.

Heishin looked at her. "Yes. He was just about beaten when Battousai appeared, stopping the attacks."

"Heishin, stop looking at Kamiya. Stop talking to her. You are never to address her again. Is that understood?" Enishi's sharp tone cut through the air, and Heishin flinched visibly.

"Is that understood," Enishi hissed, taking a step closer to Heishin. The four bodyguards moved slightly away from their charge to give room for Enishi.

"Y…yes," Heishin stammered, taking his eyes off Kaoru.

"Now, why are you really here? I didn't ask you to bring me news about Battousai."

"I came to oversee the transfer of the control of the syndicate."

Enishi narrowed his eyes. "The papers are all in order in the library. You will finish your business here and be on the next boat out. Until then, confine yourself to the east wing of the house and stay out of my way." He gave Heishin one last measuring look before releasing the smaller man from his attention.

Heishin gave a small bow before continuing his way into the house with his entourage. Kaoru glanced at Enishi. It was the first time she had seen him as the boss of the syndicate, and the arrogance with which he treated Heishin proved to her that he was not a boss to be trifled with. Even Heishin's bodyguards, all larger than Enishi, gave ground when he approached.

Enishi was looking out over the water, his eyes still smoldering. "He did not come here to look at the paperworks. He came here to interfere with jinchu." He unsheathed his tachi and sliced the air in front of him with such force that the sand around them flew into the air. Kaoru gasped and shielded her eyes.

"I… I shall just go and prepare dinner," Kaoru said, not wanting to see him this angry.

"No." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Kaoru had by now realized that it was his way of trying to control his temper. "I will go with you. While Heishin is here, I can't let you out of my sight. He wants your life, because you know about the syndicate. Heishin wants everything run like a tight ship. I do as well, but contrary to what other people think, I don't kill indiscriminately."

They walked back to the house, with Enishi walking slightly ahead of her. Kaoru crossed her arms as she watched his back. They usually walked side by side, or with her ahead of him, but she supposed with other people around he had to maintain some sort of façade.

 _When it was just the two of us, there was no façade. That was the real Enishi,_ she realized. Generally polite, with a sense of humor bordering on being mean, who sometimes slipped into moments of quiet thinking, with an underlying grief beneath it all.

Kaoru regretted that they were no longer alone. And now it seems her time on the island was coming to a close as well. "How long have I been here?" she asked.

"A month, give or take a few days. I stopped counting," he said, entering the house and holding the door open for her. "I suspect your friends will be coming in less than a week. Not much longer, Kamiya."

Kaoru was stung when he addressed her so formally. She liked the way he said her name, his lips forming around every syllable. She pressed her lips together as she followed him into the house. _You might as well start forgetting all the little things you like about this island._

 **xxx**

 _In five or six days, I will be leaving this place,_ Kaoru thought, lying down on the bed and facing the ceiling. Soft moonlight came in through the windows, creating the now familiar pattern of shadows on the ceiling. _They are all familiar to me now, this bed, the indoor plumbing, the sound of the sea… I wonder how I could get used to sleeping on a futon again…_

It has been a month, but a lot of things had changed. The enemy who had kidnapped her and caused much grief for her friends turned out to be a person she could not hate. Quite the opposite, she found herself reluctant to leave him.

 _Maybe there is a way and I can take him back with me to Tokyo to live with me like the others. After all, I'm known to take in all sort of strays._ But even as she thought about it, she knew it would not happen. Enishi and Kenshin in the same house… those two sill had a score to settle, and it was not an easy matter. No one can bring the dead back to life. No, they would have to fight it out on this island, and no matter who won, Kaoru knew she would lose someone precious to her. Every blow, whoever received it, would hurt her.

When she had watched their first fight, she had been fixated on Kenshin, silently cheering him on. When they fight next, she would be cheering no one. If she could avoid watching the fight, she would, but that would be selfish of her. Kenshin was going to fight to rescue her, and Enishi was going to fight because… because… Well, he wasn't fighting for her, certainly. In fact, she did not owe him anything, but she didn't want him to get hurt, either.

Caught in the middle with nowhere to go, she felt her eyes fill with tears. As images of the impending battle invaded her thoughts, her tears spilled over and she turned her head to her pillow to stifle a quiet sob. It was followed by another sob, then another, until she was crying earnestly into her pillow.

A hand touched her shoulder, and she looked up to see Enishi leaning over her bed, a rolled futon under one arm. "Are you all right?" he asked.

She nodded, trying unsuccessfully to stop crying. He sighed and unrolled the futon on the floor beside her bed. He was serious when he said he wouldn't let her out of his sight while Heishin was around. He sat down on the futon and rested his back against her bed, facing away from her.

"Is it not enough that nee-san won't smile for me, you have to cry as well?" he asked bitterly. "And when I ask you, you say you're all right, but obviously you are not." He shifted so that he was sideways from her, and rested his chin on her bed. "Talk to me, Kaoru. Even if it is about Battousai, I promise I won't get mad."

Kaoru looked into his turquoise eyes and saw his sincerity. "I was thinking about your upcoming fight with Kenshin," she whispered, lying on her side by the edge of the bed so that their faces were only inches away from each other. "You were evenly matched the last time. It's going to be a long fight, and I don't want to see any of you hurt." She squeezed her eyes shut as another onslaught of tears threatened to start. "I don't want Kenshin to get hurt, but I don't want you to get hurt either, Enishi."

"Don't worry about me, I'm not that weak," he said. "Besides, I brought this upon myself, and so did Battousai."

"I still don't want to see any of you get hurt," she said. "I saw Kenshin right after he fought Shishio and it was horrible. I saw your bruises after you fought Kenshin. Enishi, I don't want to see anything like that again."

"Oh, you mean you don't want to see my bare torso again?" he said in an attempt to make her smile.

"Oh, Enishi," she chided him, her tears dissolving into a chuckle. "You know what I mean!"

"Well, whatever happens when they get here, you will be going home with them in the end. Just think about that."

"What about you?" she asked.

"I have always been fine on my own."

She felt lonely, hearing him say that. "Maybe you can come back with me."

His eyebrows shot up and his shoulders shook with quiet laughter. "Me and Battousai live together? And people say I'm the crazy one."

Kaoru felt her spirits start to life at the sound of his laughter. Maybe he was right, and she shouldn't worry. He and Kenshin were both strong, and if anyone can bring someone back from the brink of insanity, it was Kenshin. Perhaps he had found his answer in Rakuninmura that would help appease Enishi's jinchu.

She smiled. "I'm not crazy. Just optimistic."

He smirked, which broadened her smile even more. "Yes, that's why you were crying by yourself earlier."

She rolled her eyes as she settled on her back, facing the ceiling again. "Go to sleep, Enishi. I don't want you blaming me if you don't wake up and miss their arrival."

He lay down on the futon, out of her sight. "Good night," his voice floated up in the darkness.

"Good night."

 **xxx**

The next two days were uneventful. Enishi had increased the time he spent in training, so Kaoru had taken to preparing packed lunches for them so they didn't need to go back to the house in the middle of the day.

As far as Kaoru was concerned, Enishi's form was flawless. She wondered how Kenshin was going after having spent days in Rakuninmura, but since she had no way of knowing, she brushed the thought from her mind.

Enishi had received a message saying that a ship of special police forces led by Saito Hajime along with the Kenshin-gumi were scheduled to set sail the next day.

So that settled it for Kaoru. Today was her last full day at the island. She had mixed feelings about it, but she was sure of one thing: she was a completely different person returning to Tokyo.

She was startled out of her thoughts when Enishi stood in front of her, sheathing his sword. "You're thinking?"

Kaoru nodded. "I was thinking, it's my last day here."

"Well, don't start crying now," he said wryly.

She snatched a twig on the ground and threw it at his face. He evaded it easily. "I wasn't going to," she said.

He dropped onto the ground next to her and took a drink out of the water bottle they had brought. "You must be glad," he said.

"I have mixed feelings about it," she admitted. She looked around. "Part of me is reluctant to leave this place."

He considered this. "Why would you feel that way?"

"I have gotten used to… having you around," she confessed.

"I have gotten used to having you around as well," he told her. "And for me, that says a lot." He shifted slightly as his hand found hers and took it, palm against palm. Kaoru felt herself blush slightly, but did not pull away. She curled her fingers around his.

"You are an amazing woman, do you know that?" he said.

"Huh?"

"You see the good in every people, including me. I don't think I deserve it, and I feel as if I should give you something back for it."

"But I don't expect anything back," she said. "I treat you the way I treat you because that is how I want to treat you. You have been kind to me, too."

"I have been thinking the past two days," he continued. "I have decided that I will not fight Battousai."

Kaoru's head whipped around to look at him. "What? But you've been planning this for years!"

"And spending a month with you here has pulled me back from the edge of insanity." He looked down and started uprooting little tufts of grass on the ground. "I'm not stupid, Kaoru. I know this jinchu is crazy, and I know I have been acting crazy most of the time, but so far everything I have done was a calculated move. What I'm trying to say is that I'm not crazy, not yet. I'm almost there, on the brink, like I said, but I'm not there yet."

Kaoru kept her silence, sensing that Enishi still had a lot to say. "You only know nee-san from what Battousai had told you," he continued. "But let me tell you more about my sister, so you might understand me more."

"My mother died shortly after giving birth to me. Nee-san was eight years older than me, and she became both mother and sister to me. She took care of me while our father worked away from the house. She was very intelligent, and could learn to do anything. She read a lot, and educated me as well."

He paused, and took a deep breath. "I suppose it was because she was forced to be an adult so early that she always looked so solemn. It became one of my daily goals to make her smile. It wasn't difficult to do that. She liked it when I was good, when I prayed, when I did well in my studies, when I finished all the food she had prepared for me. I was happy, and as I got older, I was able to take on odd jobs so that she could ease off a bit. We were happy." His eyes had a faraway look.

"When she met Kiyosato and got engaged, I felt mixed. A part of me was relieved that there was someone else to help me take care of her, because secretly I was daunted being the only person she depended on in her life. Part of me was jealous because I did not have her full attention anymore. I was not used to sharing her."

He stopped and looked at the house in the distance. "Let's walk, I need to clear my head." He stood up and pulled her up alongside him, their hands still joined. They walked away from the house, and only when it was lost from their view did he begin talking again.

"When Kiyosato got killed, nee-san stopped smiling. No matter what I did, she wouldn't smile anymore. And then she told me, that she wouldn't rest until she had avenged Kiyosato's death. One day, she was suddenly gone, leaving a letter saying what she was planning to do. I was angry with her. It was always the two of us doing things. How can she go off like that? I took off after her and it took me months to find her. When I found her again, she was with Battousai. Then what did she do? She sent me away again, to protect me. I was supposed to be protecting her!"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "The next time I saw her was when she was killed. I had nothing left in life except her last words to me, that she would not rest until she had avenged Kiyosato's death. I couldn't help her when she was alive, and I couldn't even protect her, and she died. I told myself I will become strong, so I can complete the things she wasn't able to do."

Kaoru bit her lip. "But you said you wouldn't fight Battousai anymore."

"I know, and I am at a loss. Nee-san hasn't smiled for me since I came back to Japan, even after I had sent Battousai to Rakuninmura. Is it because it was temporary? Because he came back? I don't know," he repeated, shaking his head. "But I do know one thing. You are the only person in this world who has cared about me after my sister, and if I fight Battousai tomorrow, I am afraid I will lose your smile as well."

He closed his eyes. "I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I will try to talk with Battousai instead of forcing a fight, for you."

Kaoru drew a shaky breath. He was abandoning his jinchu for her? She looked at the troubled man in front of her. She understood his pain and his confusion, which was why she never really blamed him for everything that has happened.

"Enishi," she murmured, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you for thinking that much of me."

His answer was to wrap his arms around her as well, drawing her as close as he could to him, resting his head on top of hers. She understood. Growing up, he had nothing but the tragedy of his sister's death to hold on to. Now that he had let her into his life, he had something else as well. "I will always be here for you, Enishi," she promised him. "I mean it."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Kaoru smoothed down an imaginary wrinkle in her pink kimono as she sat on a chair in the veranda. Enishi was sitting in another chair, leaning back, his tachi propped up on the floor beside him. His eyes were focused on a speck in the distance. A ship. He held a telescope to his eye and observed the ship for a minute before handing the scope to Kaoru.

She held it up as well, taking a moment to focus on what she wanted to see. Her heart quickened when she saw who were on board. Sano and Yahiko were there, the young kid still bearing bruises from his previous fight and looking proud of it. Aoshi and Misao were there, and Saito of course. Surprisingly, even Megumi had come along, the doctor. No doubt they were expecting to need her services.

She looked at Kenshin last. His face was set and determined as he gazed ahead. Yet even from this distance, she could see that he also looked to be at peace.

Kaoru set down the scope and bit her lip. In their previous fight, Enishi was the one with the stronger resolve and she had worried about Kenshin who had been dealing with the memory of having killed his own wife. Now, it was the other way around. Kenshin was the one with the resolve, and Enishi was wavering. Enishi had always drawn strength from his jinchu, but now that he was stepping away from it, he had nothing to replace it with except his newfound friendship with her. But it was not as strong as jinchu, not now in its early stages. Perhaps if they had more time, but now it was still fragile.

Kaoru was shocked out of her thoughts when she heard an explosion over the water. Enishi's eyes narrowed as Heishin approached him gleefully.

"Water mines," the Chinese said. "Now they have to come in smaller boats and will not be able to land as a full force."

"I told you not to interfere," Enishi said in acid tones.

"I said I will stay out of your fight with Battousai," Heishin said. "But I see no reason to miss the opportunity to hurt Tokyo's police force at the same time."

"I do not approve of it," Enishi snarled, standing up and picking the man up by his collar. Heishin's four bodyguards did nothing when Enishi threw the man on the floor. "Get out of my sight. If you interfere again I will kill you myself and throw you out to the sharks."

Heishin got up and brushed himself off. He left without saying another word. Kaoru looked after him, not liking the way he smiled when he turned away, before turning her attention back to the approaching ship. The ship had stopped moving, and half a dozen boats have been lowered to the water.

Kaoru looked through the scope again. "Misao is blowing up the mines ahead of them with Aoshi's help."

Enishi nodded. "He was the one who discovered the truth about the puppet. Battousai has some powerful and loyal friends."

Kaoru twisted her hands around the scope. He was right. Kenshin had friends to lend him their strength. Even Shishio had his henchmen. Whereas Enishi… he had even sent Heishin away.

Enishi stood up, taking his tachi and slinging it over his shoulder. He held out his hand to her. "Come," he said. "Let us meet them at the shore. I will hear what Battousai has to say."

She took his hand and let him lea her downstairs and out of the house. They did not hurry, but took their time. As they walked through the trees, Kaoru's trepidation increased with every step until she stopped walking. "Enishi…" she said uncertainly, looking at their joined hands.

"What is it?" He faced her.

She sighed. "I just need to say something. Did you see Kenshin's face? He looked resolved to settle this."

"I know."

"But you, Enishi, you look… uncertain," she said.

If it had been any other person that said that to him, he would have killed them on the spot, but now he only raised his eyebrows.

"I'm not worried about Kenshin anymore. I'm worried about you," she said.

"What would you have me do, Kaoru?" he asked. "Everything that I have done has led to this moment. I can't change it anymore. There will be a confrontation. What kind of confrontation that will be, I don't know. Things have been set in motion long before, and now I can't…"

Sensing his internal battle, Kaoru pulled him towards her. She quickly wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the lips. He froze for a moment before he began to kiss her back, dropping his sword on the ground so he could press her body closer to him.

"I care about you," she said, breaking off the kiss to rest her forehead on his chest.

"I know," he said, stroking the back of her head. "But thank you for telling me that."

They locked eyes for a moment, until they heard sounds of fighting coming from the beach. Kaoru's eyes widened. "Who's fighting?"

Enishi's face contorted in anger. "Heishin," he hissed, releasing her and continuing to walk towards the beach. Kaoru hurried after him, reaching the edge of the woods just in time to see all four of Heishin's bodyguards call to the ground.

Heishin himself was running towards the woods. When he was near enough, Enishi punched him in the face so hard the small man went flying into the nearby trees.

"Worthless piece of shit," he muttered, wiping his blood stained hand against a tree trunk, He turned to Kaoru slightly. "Please wait here for a bit, Kaoru."

Enishi stepped out onto the beach and surveyed the scene in front of him. All four of Heishin's bodyguards were down, but none were dead. He looked ahead and saw Kenshin walking towards him.

"Battousai," he began, but before he could even take a step, the tip of a bokken was shoved in front of him and he found himself looking down at Yahiko.

"Hold it right there," Yahiko said. "Where's Kaoru? Because if you tell me that she's dead, I don't care what Kenshin says, I'm going to kill you!"

"Idiot!" Sanosuke interjected, shoving Yahiko out of the way. "You're still injured from all the fights you've been getting into these past few days. Step aside, and I will be the one to kill this crazy bastard. Now, Mr. Glasses, where' Jo-chan?"

Enishi smirked and looked at where Kaoru was standing in the woods. He gave her a slight nod and she stepped forward, waving at them to show them she was all right. "I'm here, everyone, I'm all right," she called out.

Enishi looked at Sanosuke and Yahiko. "Now you see she's unhurt. Get out of my way. I have things to settle with Battousai."

Kaoru came closer as Enishi faced off with Kenshin. She had no idea what to expect, but she could see the hatred in Enishi's eyes as he looked at his brother-in-law. However, she saw him pinch the bridge of his nose as the adjusted his glasses. _He's trying to stay in control. If Kenshin is going to talk him down, he would need to be careful with his choice of words._ Kaoru considered going to them to join them, but Enishi had told her to wait, and she didn't want to compound his problems by disobeying him at this crucial moment.

"I see you have made it out of the living hell I created for you, Battousai," Enishi said, tapping his sword against his shoulder. "Did you not like the punishment you had to endure for all of those people you killed?"

"It's true that I have killed a lot of people, Enishi," Kenshin said. "And I have spend years trying to atone for that. When I was inside that living hell, I thought that my life was not worth anything anymore."

"But you made it out. You came back. You, who took so many lives, cannot give up your own life?" he asked. "Do you know how many children you have orphaned? How many wives widowed?"

Kenshin shook his head. "No-"

"You killed my sister, and she was all I had in this world," Enishi said, frowning. "Even now, your scars do not heal, because you are not yet forgiven. How can you live your life knowing that?"

"I had given it a lot of thought," Kenshin said, doubt clouding his eyes momentarily. "I cannot bring the dead back to life, no matter how hard I try. But what I can do is to continue to live my life protecting others that need it, to see the smiles of the people in front of me. If I can do that, then I can atone, little by little, for what I have done before. This was the answer I found in hell, and this is the answer that allowed me to finally see Tomoe's smile."

"Nee-san smiled for you?" Enishi asked, his voice dropping dangerously low.

Kenshin nodded. "Tell me, Enishi, after everything that you have done, has Tomoe smiled for you?"

Enishi closed his eyes as if searching for his sister inside him. "Nee-san," he whispered. "Why would you smile for him and not for me?"

Kaoru shook her head. She knew if Kenshin said anything more, Enishi would lose his internal battle. "Kenshin," she called out, stepping forward. "Stop-"

Kenshin looked at her reassuringly. "It's all right, Kaoru-dono. You stay there. I will come and get you shortly."

"No!" Enishi yelled, unsheathing his tachi and pointing it at Kenshin. "She wouldn't smile for me because you stole her smile! You stole her from me when she was alive and you steal her from me even now when she is dead!"

"Enishi!" Kaoru cried. She started to run towards him but was startled when a pair of hands grabbed her from behind.

"Kaoru-san, don't!" Misao said, stopping Kaoru from approaching the impending fight.

Kaoru fought against Misao's hold. "I have to stop them, Misao," she said desperately. "I can stop them from fighting! Enishi listens to me…"

"No, look," Misao said. "Nobody can stop them them now."

"I have to kill you to get nee-san's smile back. Here I go, Battousai!" Enishi sunk low to the ground and started his attack, moving towards Kenshin.

Kenshin blocked Enishi's blows, but the force was so great that he was forced to take several steps backwards until they hit a tree. The tree was destroyed by Enishi's blade, slowing him down enough to allow Kenshin to mount a counter attack.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Kuzu Ryu Sen!"

Kaoru gasped as she recognized Kenshin's second strongest attack that hit Enishi when they first fought in Tokyo. "No, Enishi!" she whispered, seeing Enishi prepare to receive the attack.

"Enishi? Who are you cheering for, Kaoru-san?" Misao asked.

"None, they shouldn't be fighting," Kaoru said.

The two swordsmen came together, both of them yelling with exertion, and both were thrown back by the force of their attacks. Enishi quickly attacked again with a downward slash, which was blocked by Kenshin.

Misao's eyes were round. "What happened to Himura's attack?"

Kaoru's eyes followed the fight intensely. "Enishi was able to block every strike of the Kuzu Ryu Sen." She knew Kenshin will not kill Enishi, but it was not Enishi's like she was worried about, it was his mind. She also wasn't worried about Enishi beating Kenshin. She had seen his resolve, and knew he was fighting with a renewed inner peace. He will be stronger than he was before.

Kenshin and Enishi both jumped into the air. Kenshin was higher, until Enishi used a technique that allowed him to do another jump in mid air that gave him the height advantage over Kenshin. He hit Kenshin on the shoulder, sending Kenshin crashing to the ground, but Kenshin quickly recovered and jumped up to meet him with a Ryu Sho Sen. However, Enishi blocked Kenshin's attack with his arm band, gaining more momentum in the air, and delivered another blow to Kenshin, smashing him to the ground once more.

Misao gasped. "That guy is so strong!"

 _Kenshin_ , Kaoru thought as she watched the rurouni get up. _Enishi, please stop._

Enishi unleashed a series of whirlwind slashes, sending Kenshin smashing into a tree. Then he lunged at Kenshin, impaling him with his tachi before slamming Kenshin head first into the ground. Kenshin struggled to get up on one knee, and started another Kuzu Ryu Sen.

Before he could land the first strike, Enishi punched him in the face, then delivered a kick to his torso that sent Kenshin flying into yet another tree.

"Get up, Battousai!" Enishi screamed. "Get up and pay for your crimes! The dead cannot avenge themselves so it falls upon those who are left alive to avenge them!"

Enishi swung his sword angrily. "I will send you to hell, so you will never again see my sister who is in heaven!"

Kaoru gasped as Enishi's nerves bulged over his body, including his face. _Enishi… Kenshin…_

Kenshin struggled to get back on his feet. Enishi started another flurry of attacked, Kenshin barely being able to block them.

"It's no use, Battousai! With my nerves of insanity, every sense is heightened. Every movement's speed is increased. Any technique will be futile against me now!"

Enishi continued pressing his attack, until Kenshin sheathed his sakabatou. Beside Kaoru, Misao cringed, holding a hand up to her ear. "Ouch!" she cried.

"What is it?" Kaoru asked.

"There was a- a high-pitched sound, my ear hurts," Misao said.

Enishi had stopped attacking, holding up his hands to his ears. "Battousai!" he cried, shaking his head while leaning on his tachi. "What did you do to me!"

Kenshin straightened up, panting heavily. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Ryu Mei Sen. It's the opposite of battoujutsu. By quickly sheathing the sword, I created a sound which has number your super sensitive hearing. You have lost your sense of balance and equilibrium, Enishi. Stop fighting now."

"No! I will not stop fighting you!" Enishi attacked Kenshin, but this time, Kenshin easily evaded his attack.

"Enishi, please stop your attacks," Kenshin said.

"No! I can only attack and attack. I have no defense, I have no use for defense! The only thing in this world that I wanted to protect was stolen by you!"

Kaoru closed her eyes. _Even in the middle of battle, he holds on to his pain._ When she opened her eyes again, she was that Enishi was in his stance for his ultimate attack.

"Get ready, Battousai!" Enishi lunged forward.

"Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki!"

Kaoru watched, stunned, as Kenshin was able to break Enishi's sword. The tip of the tachi spun in the air before it struck the sand. Enishi fell on all fours, panting heavily.

"That's it!" Misao said, raising her fist in the air. "Himura won!"

"We're not done yet!" Enishi screamed, struggling to his feet. "Battousai!"

Kaoru looked at him, and at Kenshin who was bloodied and barely standing up as well. _This has gone on long enough,_ she thought.

While Misao was busy celebrating Kenshin's victory, Kaoru gave her the slip and ran to where Enishi was. "That's enough," she said firmly. "That's enough," she repeated more gently, reaching him where he stood.

"Calm yourself, Enishi. Neither one of you can fight anymore." She tried to keep her voice steady as she placed her hands on his chest, feeling his heart racing, his muscles rock hard, his nerves coarse just beneath his skin. She touched the bridge of his nose, and he closed his eyes, his nerves receding back deep under his skin.

"I'm sorry," he said tightly. "I said I wouldn't fight him."

"I know you tried your best to remain in control," she said softly.

"When he said nee-san smiled for him, it was hard for me," he said in a low voice. "But when he said he was going to come and get you as well… I lost nee-san to him, I didn't want him to take you away, too. "

"I am still here, Enishi," she assured him. "And you haven't lost Tomoe. I haven't met her, but I know she is a kind person who loves you dearly. She will not leave you. Her smile is still there, inside you, you just need to remember to smile for yourself, so that the part of her that lives in you will smile as well."

He brought up a hand to rest at her waist. "Kaoru, I-"

He was cut off by the sound of a gunshot, and Kaoru looked up in time to see Kenshin fall to the ground after taking a hit on the arm.

"Heishin," Enishi hissed.

The Chinese was laughing as he stumbled to the beach. "You all thought I was dead! I'm going to kill all you bastards!" He reloaded the gun and pointed it at Enishi. "Starting with you, former boss."

"No!" Kaoru cried, stepping in front of Enishi and holding her arms out.

"Kaoru-dono!" she heard Kenshin cry as she heard the gun fire, and then a much closer voice, "Kaoru!" before she felt herself being turned around as Enishi neatly pivoted around her. Then with a cry of rage, he punched Heishin, once on the face, and once on the torso, and he would have punched him again in the face but Kenshin had appeared at his side and stopped him.

"Stop, Enishi," Kenshin said.

"He's a piece of shit," Enishi said.

"Even if he is, if you keep on killing, you will lose Tomoe's smile forever." Kenshin nodded as Enishi dropped his hand. "You protected Kaoru-dono. Thank you."

Kaoru approached them. "Kenshin, you should let Megumi-san take a look at your wounds."

"That I will," Kenshin said. "But after she treats Enishi."

"It's okay, I will look after Enishi," Kaoru said.

As Kenshin walked away, Kaoru turned her attention to the taller man. "Enishi, thank you for protecting me."

"You're welcome. But the first one I wanted to protect… my only sister…" He buried his face in his hands as he sank down on his knees.

Kaoru knelt on the sand in front of him and threaded her fingers through his hair. He rested his head on her lap as he continued to cry. Kaoru held him and let him, for she knew that it was the first time he was really grieving for his sister. She bent down, resting her forehead against the back of his head.

After a long while, Kaoru felt someone kneel down beside her. "Kaoru-san?"

Kaoru looked up to see Misao holding up Tomoe's diary. "Thank you, Misao-chan," she said, taking the book.

"Megumi-san has finished treating Kenshin. The rest of the police force are arriving on the island." Misao looked at Enishi warily.

"Enishi, let me take a look at your wound before the police get to you," Kaoru said.

Enishi sat up, and Kaoru's heart twisted when she saw his bloodshot eyes. "I'm not hurt, Kaoru. I caught the bullet with my arm band."

Kaoru hesitated for a moment, then handed him the diary. "Tomoe-san's diary. I don't know what's in it, but… I think you should have it."

He took it from her, running his hand over the cover before tucking the small book into his pants. "Thank you," he said. "Don't worry about me, Kaoru. I'll be fine. Nee-san hasn't smiled for me yet, but… she doesn't look as sad anymore."

Kaoru smiled. "She doesn't?" she asked.

"Yes. And then just now, I saw your smile as well."

Kaoru could hear the footsteps of the police officers approaching them. "Enishi… I don't want you to end up in jail…"

He suddenly leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers so quickly she didn't have any time to react. "I know. Don't worry about me."

Two policemen came and bound Enishi's hands behind his back. Kaoru felt her eyes water as she watched them lead him away.

"Are you all right, Kaoru-san?" Misao asked. "He kissed you."

"Did anyone else see?"

"No."

Kaoru sighed. "Please don't tell anyone."

Misao looked at her. "I won't, but… are you sure?"

Kaoru nodded. "Do you remember when Aoshi-san attacked Okina? Everyone believed he deserved to be punished for what he did, but you believed there was still good in him. I believe it is the same with Enishi. He didn't mean anything bad with that kiss. He just didn't want to say thank you in a lot of words."

"I understand what you mean. I wish Aoshi-sama thanked me like that sometimes," Misao said, drawing a short laugh from Kaoru. "But, Kaoru-san, that Enishi… he's a fine-looking man, isn't he?"

Kaoru continued to smile. "Yes he is."

"Hey!" Sanosuke said, coming up to them. "What are you two giggling about? The ship's getting ready to leave."

Kaoru stood up, brushing her tears away. "All right. Everyone, let's go home."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Kaoru looked around her house, trying to sort out all the feelings of familiarity inside her. The damage to the dojo during the fight that fateful night had been repaired, and everything looked like it was back to normal. Kaoru looked at the well and remembered Enishi's house on the island with its own indoor plumbing and smiled wistfully.

"Kaoru?" Megumi asked, seeing Kaoru smile. She had been visiting the dojo everyday to check on the recovery of Kenshin, Sanosuke and Aoshi.

"What is it, Megumi-san?" Kaoru asked.

Megumi sat down beside her. "We've been back for three days. The boys are recovering fine… but Ken-san has suffered the most among them. The injuries he suffered are as severe as the ones he had gotten in Kyoto. That man, Enishi, was very strong."

"Yes he was," Kaoru agreed.

"But we all know how Kenshin is. He will fight until his last breath. I already told you in Kyoto, that it is important that you keep smiling for him, because it is that smile that will always bring him back to us alive. Your smile for Kenshin is like Tomoe's smile for Enishi." Megumi paused. "But since we've been back, you haven't really smiled. Not like before."

Kaoru closed her eyes. _Because I long for Enishi._ "I am sorry, Megumi-san. I will try to remember that."

Megumi touched Kaoru's hand. "Are you all right, Kaoru-san? I know you have been under a terrible ordeal as well, being with that bastard for a month. He… he didn't force himself on you, did he?"

Kaoru thought about Enishi pleasuring her with his fingers, of him wrapping his arms around her in the forest, of that kiss they shared on the beach before the fight. Were they all nothing but memories now? "No he didn't, Megumi-san. He was very much polite."

Megumi sat back. "I must admit that I'm surprised. If Enishi knew how important you are to Ken-san, I would have expected him to hurt you as well."

"He couldn't," Kaoru said. "The memory of his sister protected me. He was part of his sister in me."

"Well, I'm glad about that, although… I thought Tomoe-san was beautiful," Megumi said, frowning.

Kaoru sent her a sidelong glance, raising an eyebrow. "She was. And apparently, I reminded Enishi of her."

Megumi laughed, holding up her hands. "All right, all right. I know he's crazy anyway."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. She knew Megumi was trying to make her feel better the only way she knew how. But what Kaoru needed now was someone to talk to about her feelings. She needed to tell someone about what had happened on that island. "Enishi is not that crazy," she said.

Megumi quieted down, shaking her head. "Maybe. Do you know that Misao finds him handsome?"

"She did mention it," Kaoru said, rubbing her shoulders.

Megumi looked at her closely. "Were you attracted to him?"

Kaoru took a deep breath. "Can we walk into town? I want to get some more bandages from your clinic."

When they were out of the dojo grounds, she answered Megumi's question. "Is it wrong for me to be attracted to him, Megumi-san? I know he was the enemy, but whenever I saw him, that tall and muscular build, the way he moved with such grace and confidence… I wanted to touch him, to feel him with my own hands. I was confused, I never thought about anyone like that before, not even Kenshin."

Megumi looped her arm through Kaoru's. "That's not unusual," she said. "You are growing up, Kaoru. Sometimes physical wants and needs are felt more when we come of age. There is nothing wrong with that. Did you do something about it?"

Kaoru bit her lip, wondering if she should tell Megumi what had happened.

"Oh," Megumi scoffed. "The fact that you couldn't answer me straight away tells me that you did. It's a physical need, Kaoru. Sometimes it's better to satisfy it yourself rather than let it build up. Otherwise you might get even crabbier than usual," she finished with a snicker. "Oh, Kaoru-san, stop feeling guilty. I do that myself too, sometimes."

"It's not just that, Megumi," Kaoru sighed. "Enishi caught me at it."

Megumi's perfect eyebrows show up. "Idiot girl. Don't you lock the door?"

"No. What's the point? He has a key anyway."

"Yes, but if he had to unlock the door before coming in, then you would have had time to stop what you were doing."

"Oh," Kaoru said. She narrowed her eyes at Megumi. "You know an awful lot about these things."

The older girl smiled mysteriously. "Of course I do. So what happened after he saw you?"

"He… he came over and finished me off. With… with his fingers."

Megumi gasped. "And you let him?"

Kaoru was embarrassed. "Yes."

"Hmm," Megumi said, putting a finger to her lips. "And then what happened?"

"He finished me off. I wanted more, but he said no and he left the room."

Megumi was surprised. "And that was it?"

"Yes. We never talked about it. For the rest of my stay there, he was very proper. I thought I was attracted to him because I was stuck with him on that island, but now that I am back home, I still find myself thinking about him. And it's not just an attraction… I actually care for him."

They reached Megumi's clinic, and the doctor got a fresh roll of bandages and put them in Kaoru's basket. Then she looked at the younger girl in the eye. "Do you want my advice?" she asked. "Consider yourself lucky that he was good to you. I could think of a lot more ways your captivity could have gone worse. Secondly, it's in the past. He is in jail, and you are back with Ken-san and the others, who are all very concerned about you in spite of their own injuries. Enishi is in your past now, and you have to live in the present. If Enishi comes back into your life, in the future… then that's when you think about it again. I promise you I will be here if you need to talk with me again."

Kaoru mulled over Megumi's words. It made sense. However, there was one last thing she needed to do before she moved on. "Thank you, Megumi-san," she said, giving her a small bow.

Kaoru left the clinic, but before heading home, she stopped by the police station. She had stayed away for three days to allow things to settle down, but she could wait no longer. She located Saito, with a cigarette in his mouth as usual.

"Kamiya-san," he said in greeting, tossing the cigarette to the ground and putting it out with the heel of his shoe. "What can I do for you?"

"Yukishiro Enishi," she said. "I was wondering if I could visit him in jail."

Saito looked at her. "You can't."

"Just for a few minutes," Kaoru persisted.

"I mean you can't, because he's not in jail."

"What?" she gasped.

"He escaped as soon as we reached Tokyo Bay. We searched for him for more than a day but we couldn't find him. Personally, I don't care. Yukishiro's syndicate has been broken, and by himself, he is no longer a threat."

Kaoru let out a sigh of relief. So he had managed to get away after all. "What about the charges against him?"

Saito lit another cigarette. "What charges? The bombing of the Akabeko and the attack on your dojo were orchestrated by that man Heishin, as shown by evidence we found at that island house. There were also documents showing proof that Enishi had given Heishin complete control of the syndicate a year ago, with both of their signatures on it. Did Enishi frame Heishin? Probably. But we have Heishin in custody, we have a criminal to show to the people. That is the end of it. The only charge Yukishiro is left with is kidnapping you." He glanced at her. "Unless you're not pressing charges?"

She shook her head. "No."

"I thought so," Saito said, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

"Thank you for your time."

 **xxx**

"So Mr. Crazy escaped," Yahiko scoffed as he gripped his shinai with both hands.

"I'm not surprised," Sanosuke said with disgust. "And the government is just going to let him go?"

A week had gone by, Aoshi and Misao had gone back to Kyoto, and Kaoru decided that Yahiko had had enough time to recover and made him start practicing kendo again. When he complained about it, she merely raised her eyebrows at him and said she thought he wanted to get stronger. That settled the matter.

"Keep practicing your swings," Kaoru ordered him.

"Stop being so bossy, you ugly hag," Yahiko muttered under his breath.

He was unprepared for Kaoru's retaliation when she swung her bokken and hit him once on the head with a downward slash, and a second hit on his chest with a sword thrust. "If you can't even parry those attacks, you haven't earned your break yet."

She walked over to the south wall of the dojo, where Kenshin stood watching them. "Are you feeling all right, Kenshin?"

"Yes, I feel like I am back to my previous strength," he said, giving her a smile. "But you, Kaoru-dono, you seem to have grown stronger. Faster."

She shrugged. "There was nothing else to do on that island except practice."

Kenshin's eyes looked into hers. "That is true. But the remarkable improvement in you indicates that you have practiced with a swordsman more skilled than you."

Kaoru smiled. "You are very observant."

He nodded. "You have been practicing in this dojo every day for years. You leave for a month and your skill level improved almost exponentially."

"Yes, Enishi sparred with me a number of times."

Yahiko stopped his practice swings when he heard this. "What? He sparred with you? With his tachi?"

"Yes. He got me a bokken a few days after he had taken me there."

Kenshin's eyes grew dark. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, no, he was very much in control. He just used the basic strikes to help me improve my defense."

Yahiko shook his head. "You weren't scared?"

Kaoru wrinkled her nose. "No. I was more embarrassed than anything. He could see where my defenses were weak. I haven't sparred with a better swordsman than me since my father died. Those daily practices with Enishi really helped me."

Yahiko blanched. "Daily?"

"Twice daily," Kaoru confirmed. "So you better get on with your practice if you want to make something out of yourself. You still owe me five hundred swings!"

Kenshin laughed as Yahiko resumed his practice. "Did you even manage to land a hit on Enishi?" he asked.

Without realizing it, Kaoru's lips curled into a smirk. "Once," she said. "But it was a cheap shot. I hit him on the torso while he was stretching."

"Oro?" Kenshin said, his eyes growing wide. "You were very brave."

"Yes, well, he insulted my cooking."

"You cooked for him?" Sanosuke asked incredulously.

"Stop talking now, Sano," Kaoru warned him.

Sanosuke laughed. "There you go, Jo-chan. As far as revenge for kidnapping you goes, I think you've dealt him a hard enough blow."

Whatever retort Kaoru had prepared for him died on her lips as the bell at the dojo gate rang. Throwing Sanosuke a dirty look, Kaoru made her way to the gate, the two men following close behind.

It was a messenger, and he had five boxes at his feet. "Kamiya Kaoru?" he asked.

"Yes, that is me," she said.

"I have a delivery for you."

"From where? I haven't ordered anything."

"I'm sorry, but there is no return address. It's all of these five boxes here."

Kaoru looked at the boxes suspiciously. "All right. Just bring them into the dojo, please, and I'll sort it out there."

Once the messenger had left, Kaoru got a kitchen knife and pried the boxes open. She was surprised when she opened the first box. On top was one of the kimonos she had worn on Enishi's island. She unpacked the rest of the box. It was filled with five kimonos.

"It's the kimonos I had when I was on that island," she said, running her hand against the fabric of one. "Enishi got them for me."

She opened the second box, which was also filled with kimonos. "There must be about ten kimonos all in all," she murmured.

The third box was long, and when she opened it, she saw the three bokkens she had used. She picked one up and touched the tip. It had notches on the wood where it had met with Enishi's sword. Also in the box were a couple of gis and hakamas. The fourth box was small, and contained several bottles of scented oils and soaps that she had gotten used to on the island. The fifth box contained books, books she had read while she was there, except for one. She picked up the strange book. It was leather bound, and the edges were frayed. She opened it and found pictures of sword stances. The text was in Chinese, though.

"Is that what I think it it?" Sanosuke asked.

"It's the book on watoujutsu Enishi used to teach himself," Kaoru confirmed.

"Why would he be sending you these thigns?" Yahiko asked, scowling. "We should burn them. They're just a reminder of that guy."

"Burn them? Idiot, these things are expensive. We should sell them for money!" Sanosuke said.

"No," Kaoru said firmly. "These things are mine, and I'm keeping them."

"What for? They're only a reminder of when you were taken from us," Yahiko argued.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that terrible time, Yahiko. But it's already happened and we got through it, maybe not unscathed, but we are still alive, and I am thankful for that. And when I look to that time, I do not hate Enishi. I understand him. I may not agree with him, but I understand him."

"Why are you defending him?" Yahiko asked. "Even during that battle, you went to him first before Kenshin!"

"Because he will never stop attacking until he was dead!" Kaoru asked, her voice rising to match his. "He wouldn't stop unless he was brought out of his state of insanity."

"But he is insane!"

"No he's not! He is someone that needs help, just as you, Sano, and Aoshi needed help before."

"He tried to kill you!"

"He didn't," Kaoru said, softening her voice. She reached out to ruffle Yahiko's hair, but he pulled away. "He pretended to kill me, and actually were to great lengths to achieve that, because he couldn't kill me for real. He was kind to me while I was on that island. I was never tied, or bound, or gagged. When I injured my ankle, he took care of me, and when other people from the syndicate came to stay at the house, he had taken to sleeping on the floor by the foot of my bed just to make sure I was safe."

"He did that?" Yahiko said doubtfully.

"He did. You weren't there to see all those things, just as Enishi wasn't able to see everything that night Tomoe died and he thought that Kenshin had killed her on purpose. Tomoe wasn't around to tell him it was an accident and to tell him to let go of his hatred. But I am here now, and I'm telling you, Enishi did not mistreat me on that island, he didn't even mean for Heishin's bodyguards to fight you. So let go of your hate. Otherwise you might end up like him."

Yahiko was silent, and Kaoru sat back, sighing. "That's enough practice today. Go and think about what I said."

"Let's go," Sanosuke said, punching Yahiko on the shoulder.

The pair of them walked away, leaving Kenshin and Kaoru alone. "Kaoru-dono, you have changed since you got back," he said. "You are wiser, with more self-control. I thought that would be a full-blown argument with Yahiko but you turned it around with words that couldn't be more true."

"Thank you," she said, gathering the kimonos and returning them to their boxes.

"I am glad that Enishi had been kind to you. I am not surprised that you were the one to pull him back from his insanity. You are an amazing woman."

Kaoru remembered Enishi speaking the same words and smiled. "It was too bad, though, that I wasn't able to keep him from going over the edge. He wasn't planning on fighting you anymore that time on the beach, but he got unhinged when you said Tomoe smiled at you, and when you told him you were going to take me away as well."

Kenshin was surprised. "Enishi actually thought of not finishing jinchu?"

"He thought about it."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he thought that if he fought you, I would stop smiling, and he did not want to lose my smile either."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Kaoru walked up the steps to the cemetery, carrying the basket of flowers she had brought for Tomoe. She had asked Kenshin to accompany her to Kyoto to visit Tomoe's grave, but requested that she visit it alone first before he joined her. He gave in to her request, albeit with a puzzled look. She couldn't explain why, but she wanted to meet Tomoe privately for the first time.

 _Of course you couldn't explain why you wanted some private time with a gravestone,_ she thought ruefully.

She noticed a fresh basket of flowers on Tomoe's grave as she set her own basket down. _Enishi had been here,_ she thought, her heart lifting. She touched the handle of the basket that he had brought, thinking that his hand had touched it not too long ago.

 _Tomoe-san,_ she thought, putting her hands together in prayer. _Thank you for protecting me with your memory while I was with Enishi. You are most kind, so I know you continue to watch over him. Please make sure he is all right, and let him know that I will always be here if he needs me._

She tried to imagine what Tomoe looked like, a beautiful girl with white skin, with eyes like Enishi's. She regretted that she could never meet the real Tomoe.

She knelt there for several more minutes until she felt a presence behind her. She turned around, hoping to find Enishi, but was surprised to see Aoshi instead.

"Aoshi-san," she said in greeting, standing up.

"Sorry for disturbing your prayers," the former okashira said.

"It's all right, I'm just waiting for Kenshin," she said. "I went ahead because I wanted my first meeting with Tomoe to be private. I had a lot of things to say to her. I was surprised to see I wasn't the only recent visitor."

Aoshi looked at the flowers. "Yukishiro was here a couple of days ago. "

Kaoru gasped. "You saw him?"

"Yes," Aoshi said, stepping forward and giving a little bow towards Tomoe's grave.

"How was he?" she asked, wishing Aoshi was more talkative. "Did he look like he was okay?"

"Yes. He stayed for about an hour. I was watching him because I was apprehensive about his being here."

"I see," Kaoru said.

"He asked about you," Aoshi said suddenly.

Kaoru's head whipped around. "You talked to him?"

He nodded. "I remember what it was like, living in the darkness. I wanted to see if he was recovering. When I made my presence known, the first thing he did was ask about you. I told him you were fine."

Aoshi tipped his head to the side. "We talked for quite a while. I complimented him on his fighting style. It's not every day I see someone dominating Himura in battle," he said, looking a little smug. "Then he complimented me about discovering the truth about Gein's puppet. We ended up having tea together, in that temple where I meditate."

Kaoru blinked. Aoshi, who was always aloof, having tea with Enishi? "That was very unusual," she murmured.

"Not really," he said. "There are a lot of similarities between us."

"What did you talk about?"

"Nothing interesting to you. But I can tell you are worried about him the way you always worry about people. Don't worry, he is recovering. I believe you will see him again."

"I believe that, too," she said.

Aoshi looked toward the stairs. "I sense Himura approaching."

"Yes, he said he would follow me here. You are welcome to jon us," she said.

He shook his head. "I will see you back at the Aoiya."

He had already disappeared by the time Kenshin arrived at the top of the steps. The rurouni gave no indication that he knew of Aoshi's recent departure. His amethyst eyes widened when he saw the flowers that Enishi had left, but he did not say anything. Instead, he turned to Kaoru. "Have you had time to talk to Tomoe, Kaoru-dono?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you for letting e visit her first."

Kenshin smiled and knelt down in prayer. After only a minute, he stood up. "Let's go back to the Aoiya," he said.

"You're done?" Kaoru asked.

"There's no need for many words," he said, reaching out and putting an arm around her shoulders. "All I wanted to say was 'thank you' and 'I'm sorry' and 'goodbye'. I am sure that now, she can truly rest in peace."

 **Xxx**

"Tae-san, I must say, this newly rebuilt Akabeko looks so much nicer than the old one," Kaoru said as she restaurant's proprietor set down a steaming bowl of hotpot noodles on the table.

"Thank you, Kaoru-san," Tae said, beaming. "When my father and I talked about it, we decided to build a better restaurant rather than just rebuild the old one. That is why it took us six months to finally open the new place."

Kenshin looked around the plush, elaborate interior. "This must have cost quite a fortune."

"We were able to salvage some wood left from the old building," Tae said. "For the rest of the cost, we used up the earnings we had from the restaurant, and we were able to get a loan from a trading company with very good terms."

Kaoru looked at the full restaurant. "With this place packed like this, I'm sure you will be making profit in no time.

The new Akabeko was larger than the old one in floor area, for Tae had put a mezzanine over the eastern half of the restaurant that contained additional tables. The walls were a light brown wood, and an occasional painting gave accents to the place.

Sanosuke sighed as he dug into his bowl of food. "I missed this place," he said in between mouthfuls.

"Me too," Kaoru said. She looked at her friends eating heartily around the table. It had taken a while, but the Akabeko was even better than before. She was afraid that Tae would be far to depressed with the destruction of her old restaurant, but as soon as construction for the new Akabeko began, the girl was back to her smiling self. _A true businesswoman,_ Kaoru thought, amused.

Things had returned back to normal at the dojo as well. Yahiko, much to Kaoru's relief, had stopped being angry about her disappearance. He had grown even more in his swordsmanship, and Kaoru thoroughly enjoyed sparring with him. She wished she herself could practice with Kenshin, but she knew it was not the kind of thing the rurouni did.

She was happy, though, that Kenshin seemed truly at peace now. He did not stare into space anymore while doing the laundry. She had made it a point to smile for them everyday, remembering how they grieved for her when they thought she had died.

Kaoru looked down at her bowl of noodles, her smile faltering for a bit. Though she and her friends have moved forward, thoughts of Enishi were never far from her mind. She wished that wherever he was, he had found peace for himself as well.


	12. Chapter 12

**Warning: Adult scene ahead.**

 **Chapter 12**

"Kaoru-dono, Yahiko and I will be walking the girls home," Kenshin said merrily. "It's getting late and Gensai-sensei will be missing his grand daughters."

Kaoru nodded. "Be careful, all of you."

"Oh, Kaoru, Sano said he might come back with us to spend the night here," Yahiko said. "He says he's won a bottle of good sake while gambling."

"That's fine for Sano, but you are too young to drink," Kaoru said, hitting him on the head.

Kaoru closed the gate after them and returned to the chore of taking down the day's washings. She had just put the washings inside the house when the bell at the dojo gate rang. _Too soon for the boys to be back… did they forget something?_ Kaoru thought.

She swung the dojo gate open and had the wind knocked out of her when she came face to face with the man she had been missing the whole year.

"Hello, Kaoru," Enishi said, smiling.

"Enishi!" Kaoru exclaimed as she took in his appearance. He was every bit as tall as she remembered, and his turquoise eyes and white hair stood out in the light of the setting sun. He did not have his glasses on, and he was not carrying his sword. His face was open, his smile expectant.

Kaoru let out a shirt laugh as she closed the space between them and gave him a hug so eager that he was forced to take two steps backwards as his arms came around her to return her embrace.

"If I had known you'll welcome me this way I would have come sooner," he said amusedly.

"I missed you," Kaoru said into his chest, breathing in his familiar musky scent. Then she stepped back, sliding her hands down his arms to grasp both of his hands tightly. "Come in. Have you travelled from afar?"

"I arrived this morning, I'm staying at my family's old house. I'm from Edo, remember?" he said, following her inside the house.

Kaoru couldn't take her eyes off of him, afraid that he would disappear if she did. "What have you been doing the past year?" she asked, leading him into the sitting room. Finally, she released his hands so she could get cushions for them to sit on.

Enishi sat down on the floor, and it looked as if he was thinking about his answer. "The first few weeks, I've been reading nee-san's diary. It was difficult… I didn't realize that I had been wrong about so many things… but then I started to see her smile again at me so it made things easier."

His eyes clouded for a moment, and Kaoru reached across to take his hands in hers again. "She has been taking care of me all my life, and she deserves to rest now, so… I said goodbye to her. I realized I needed to live my life looking for answers on my own, not dependent on my memory of her, specially since, as proven, my memory of her had been flawed at times." He looked down at their hands.

"And how have you been since then?" she asked.

"I've been good," he answered. "And good, meaning I behaved myself. I haven't been killing anyone, although sometimes I do come across some piece of shit that I want to punch."

"I'm glad," she said.

They fell into a brief silence, with him looking her over. "How have you been, Kaoru?" he asked, gazing at her, and Kaoru felt her face growing hot under his intense stare.

"I've been good as well," she answered. "Happy… although I really missed you and wished…" Her voice trailed off.

"Do you remember what I said last year?" he asked, his voice falling soft, his eyes growing darker.

Kaoru held his gaze, and she knew what he was talking about. "Yes," she whispered, not able to say anything more as she was distracted by his thumbs rubbing her knuckles slowly.

"I said, I didn't want to take advantage of you because you were vulnerable and stuck with me. Now you've been with Battousai and others for a year… Do you still feel the same way about me?"

Kaoru nodded immediately, and Enishi reached over and pulled her to him, his mouth finding hers to give her a searing kiss. Kaoru opened her mouth to his, wanting every bit of him as she satisfied the longing she had been nursing for the whole year. She wrapped her arms around him as she molded her body into his. She felt him loosen the ribbon in her hair as he grasped her black tresses, pulling back on them gently but firmly, exposing her neck to him.

"Kaoru, I want you," he whispered hungrily into her ear before trailing wet kisses down the side of her neck.

"I want you too, Enishi," she answered, shivering as his lips continued to travel down her neck up to the neckline of her kimono.

He shifted his weight, leaning forward so he can lay her on her back on the floor. He settled himself on top of her, catching her lips again in a kiss. His hand came up to her breast, stroking it through the fabric of her kimono. "I'd like to take you," he murmured, kissing her forehead in a show of tenderness before claiming her lips again.

Kaoru tried to remember to breathe, realizing that he was asking her permission. Her heart swelled at his control, and right then, she knew that she wanted to give herself to him. She arched her back, feeling his arousal as it pressed against her groin. "Please take me now, Enishi, I've been waiting too long for you," she said.

Enishi untied the knots that bound her kimono, parting it to reveal her body. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he took in the sight. "You are beautiful," he said, his voice rough with desire.

Kaoru took the opportunity to take off his shirt, her eyes feasting on his taut muscles. She ran her hands down his chest and abdomen, and when she encountered his pants, she started to untie it. He helped her, his hands moving over hers, until he was fully divested of all clothing. Kaoru touched him, brushing his tip lightly with her finger and eliciting a groan from him.

He laid himself on top of her again, taking care not to crush her with his weight, and he positioned himself at her entrance. He began to slide in slowly, stretching her walls. Kaoru gasped as he went deeper, and there was a brief pain.

"Sorry," he whispered as he continued sliding in until he was fully sheathed within her.

"Enishi, it feels so good," she whispered in his ear.

No more words were said between them, each touch, each breath, each sigh told them what the other wanted. Kaoru welcomed Enishi into her body, loving the way he took her for the first time. His touch was gentle, yet demanding at the same time, and Kaoru was ready to give him whatever he wanted. He was tender yet possessive with her. With each kiss, each caress and each thrust he claimed her until she found her release, whispering his name in pure ecstasy and complete surrender. He followed soon after her, moaning her name in her ear, and she knew that he belonged to her just as she belonged to him.

Kaoru turned her head to kiss him as the last of his orgasm passed, and he lazily returned the kiss. "That was…" he whispered, "unlike anything I ever imagined. You don't know how much I hated myself for walking away that night."

"You just wanted me to wait a little bit longer," she chided him as they basked in the afterglow of their orgasms.

He rolled to his back, pulling her so she rested her head on his chest, their arms and legs in a happy tangle. He cradled her to him with one arm. "Sorry I stayed away for so long."

"Why did you?" she asked.

"I wanted to make sure that I had everything sorted out when I next saw you again. I fixed my finances, legalized everything. I didn't want to give you an excuse to reject me by saying I'm a syndicate boss and all that."

She raised her head to look at him. "So you are perfectly legal now?"

He raised his eyes to the ceiling, obviously amused. "The only thing illegal about me now is bedding you like this. And not even on a proper bed."

She laughed, punching him lightly on his arm. "I think I can forgive you that bit."

"Yes, but," he said, turning to his side so he can look at her. "I do want to make it legal as well, so Kaoru… I'm going to court you."

"Court me?" Kaoru gasped, sitting up in shock. "But you've already made love to me. You have things in the wrong order."

He sat up as well. "Just over a year ago, I was running insane. I'm still a little bit on the mend, so… do forgive me if I still get mixed up." He smirked.

Kaoru grinned as she leaned forward to kiss him. She was about to move into his arms again when she heard the dojo gate bell ring. Her eyes shot open. "It's Kenshin and Yahiko!"

Enishi sighed as he straightened up her kimono for her before collecting his own clothes. "Time to meet Battousai again," he muttered.

Kaoru looked at him as she raised her arms to tie her hair into a ponytail. "Will you be all right?" she asked.

Enishi shrugged. "I'm past trying to kill him, but he will never be my favorite person in the world."

"Kaoru-dono, we're back," Kenshin's voice rang out in the courtyard. "Sano's here with some sake."

Kaoru took a deep breath as she slid the door of the sitting room open. "Good," she called out, putting on her slippers. "Because we have a guest and I have no drink to offer him."

She rounded the corner with Enishi right behind her. Kenshin, Sanosuke and Yahiko all stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the white-haired man behind her. Kaoru looked back nervously at Enishi, who had a slightly guarded look in his eyes.

Kenshin was the first to recover. "Enishi," he said, stepping forward and giving him a small bow. "I'm glad to see you're looking well."

"Likewise, Battousai," Enishi answered. "But then, one year is a long time to recover."

"It is," Kenshin agreed. "We were planning on indulging in sake tonight. Do you want to join us?"

"Gladly," Enishi said, stepping past Kaoru. "It's been a while since I've had a good drink."

Kaoru stared as Enishi followed Kenshin back into the house and into the kitchen, with Kenshin having his back open to Enishi the whole time. _Kenshin turned his back on Enishi… a show of trust?_ she thought.

Sanosuke and Yahiko followed them and they sat down on the floor as Kenshin handed out drinking cups. Kaoru seated herself beside Enishi.

Enishi took a sip of his sake first, licking his lips after he had taken a taste. "That's good stuff indeed. I suspect this came from Kyoto area?"

Kaoru took a sip of sake as well, looking at Enishi licking his lips. He caught her looking, and the corner of his mouth turned upwards and she blushed.

Sanosuke downed his sake quickly, apparently needing it before he can actually talk to Enishi. "I don't know," he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I won it from a gambling match."

"Gambling," Enishi drawled, his eyes drifting back to Kaoru. "Isn't that illegal?"

Kaoru couldn't help but laugh. "I told you, Enishi, little bits of illegal, I can forgive."

"You've forgiven Enishi for what he did to you and that was definitely more than a little bit illegal," Yahiko spoke up, looking daggers at Enishi.

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "You and your smart mouth. All of you did something illegal in the past."

"Give him a bit of sake to loosen up," Enishi suggested.

"I agree with Yukishiro on this one," Sanosuke said, handing Yahiko a cup.

"I've legalized my business," Enishi informed them. "I now deal with trade between China and Japan."

"Trading what?" Kaoru asked. She realized that since Enishi had arrived, she hadn't really asked much about his life yet.

"Dry goods, luxury goods, clothing…" He shrugged. "Anything that I see has a demand in the market."

"Weapons," Yahiko said.

"The government asked me, but I declined, seeing how things turned out the last time I did that," he said, looking down at his cup and scowling.

Kenshin's head shot up. "You've talked with the government?"

"Yes, they wanted to employ my services, as I previously said."

"The charges against you…"

Enishi smiled like a cat. "I framed Heishin for everything."

"That Chinese guy?" Sanosuke asked. "Serves him right for trying to kill Kenshin himself."

There was a lull in the conversation, until Kenshin finally asked the question they were all thinking. "So what brings you to Tokyo? Do you have business here?"

Enishi's answer was immediate. "Pleasure," he said, putting a hand over Kaoru's. "I've come to court Kaoru. I want her."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"My, my," Megumi said, snickering as Kaoru recounted the events of the previous night. "Could he have gotten any bolder with his declaration?"

Kaoru scowled as they walked past several market stalls. "I was irritated and elated at the same time. Kenshin went oro, Sano spit out his sake in Yahiko's face, and Yahiko spilled his sake all over the floor."

"And then what happened?"

"Well, Yahiko asked-no, demanded- if it was the truth, and of course I said yes. I couldn't deny it, with Enishi sitting right next to me. Oh, but I do remember the smug look on his face!"

"What do you intend to do?" Megumi asked. "Are you going to let him court you?"

"Yes, I like him," Kaoru said, examining a radish before putting it in her basket. "You told me before to keep it in my past, because he was not around anymore, but Megumi, the whole year there wasn't a single day that I hadn't thought about him."

They paid for their purchases and continued walking through the market. "I thought it was Ken-san you were in love with," Megumi said.

"It changed on that island," Kaoru admitted. "I told you, I grew to care for him in that short time. He was mean to me at first, but I could see that there was some kindness in him. Somehow I felt that he was making an effort to be mean to me because he couldn't do it naturally. And towards the middle of my stay there, he stopped being mean. He was just… terribly honest. With his thoughts, with his feelings. He let me see past the façade he has, and I liked what I saw."

Kaoru shrugged. "I didn't tell anyone, because everyone hated him for what he did, except for Kenshin, but that is because Kenshin is beyond hating anyone."

"So he's courting you," Megumi said.

"Actually, I suspect that he is courting my friends," she answered as they exited the market place. "He already knows I like him."

"You told him?"

"No." Kaoru flushed. "I allowed him to bed me. On the floor of my sitting room."

"What? Kaoru-san!"

Kaoru nodded, biting her lip. "I couldn't deny it, when I saw him yesterday, all I could think about was how much I wanted to be with him."

Megumi touched her forehead. "When I told you to talk to me if he shows up again, I didn't expect anything like this."

Kaoru smiled. "I'm not asking for your advice, Megumi-san, so please don't feel like you have to impart some age-old wisdom about love and relationships. I merely wanted to talk to someone about it. I already know what I want to do."

"So you want to talk about it," Megumi said, sighing. "What do you want to talk about?"

Kaoru grinned. "I feel happy."

"How was he in bed? Or rather, how was he on the floor?" Megumi asked deviously.

"I have no complaints," Kaoru answered, pinching Megumi's arm. "He was everything I thought he would be."

"Speak of the devil," Megumi said, nudging Kaoru. They spied him in the distance, talking to a man whom Kaoru thought was the chief of police. "Well, he does look handsome, doesn't he? That's the chief of police he's talking to. Do you think he's in trouble?"

"He said he's been cleared of all charges," Kaoru said. "Let's go see what's up."

"I'd rather not get involved," Megumi protested, but she followed Kaoru anyway.

Enishi spotted them while they were still a good distance away. Kaoru saw his eyes light up, and he excused himself from the person he was talking to and met them halfway. "Kaoru, good morning," he said. She was surprised at his greeting- a finger brushing her cheek.

"Good morning," she said, feeling light-hearted. "Do you remember Takani Megumi?"

"Of course, the doctor," Enishi said.

"Please call me Megumi," Megumi said, bowing slightly.

"That was the chief of police," Kaoru said, looking after the man he was talking to. "Are you in trouble?"

He shook his head, reaching over to carry her basket for her while he placed his other hand at her elbow. "He was just asking me advice on where to get good quality firearms for a competitive price for the police force. It was unofficial consultation."

"Is there such a thing as official consultation?" she asked.

"Yes. Sometimes they ask me to write up some analytical reports about certain situations and that is the real headache."

"Certain situations?"

"I know a lot about organized crime," he said. "You are full of questions today, Kaoru."

She frowned as she playfully shoved him away. "We really didn't get to talk much after you dropped the bombshell last night."

He smirked. "I thought I should leave… that kid was looking like he wanted to kill me. Let me make it up to you by treating you and Megumi-san for lunch before you go. Consider it as the beginning of our courtship."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "Megumi-san, please join us. You don't have to go back to the clinic right away, do you?"

Megumi hesitated before nodding her head. "Okay. Thank you, Enishi-san."

Enishi expertly maneuvered them through the crowd until they arrived at a seafood restaurant. They found an empty table and the slid into the seats, Kaoru and Enishi sitting side by side with Megumi sitting across from them. Enishi ordered for the three of them without looking at the menu. Apparently he had been there before and knew the best choices.

"Enishi," Kaoru said hesitantly. "How come the police aren't looking for you anymore?"

"They found someone to blame for all that trouble last year," Enishi said matter-of-factly. "I made it appear that it was Heishin that orchestrated everything. Though a few might know that it was really me… Saito Hajime, for one. He let me go, though."

"How did you escape from that ship?"

He chuckled. "I didn't, really. They bound my hands but not my feet. When nobody was looking, all I had to do was jump straight up and I hid on top of the ship's mast and just waited for them to go off and look for me somewhere else. I used the time to cut off the ropes that bound be… Heishin's bullet had made a sharp dent on my arm band that had an edge to it, I used that. When the police left the ship, I left after them, went to a safehouse I prepared long before, and waited it out there. The police were pretty stupid… people always forget to look up when searching for something… except Saito."

"He saw you?" Kaoru asked, surprised.

Enishi nodded. "He looked up and we locked eyes for a moment, but I was surprised he didn't do anything."

"Aku. Soku. Zan. It's his credo," Kaoru said. "He probably thought you wouldn't be a problem anymore. I don't know how that cop's mind works, but I'm glad he let you go."

"Or maybe he was hoping you will come back and finish Ken-san off," Megumi said.

Kaoru shook her head. "No, Saito wants to defeat Battousai to settle the score from the Bakumatsu."

Enishi shook his head as well. "As for me, jinchu is finished, definitely. I have no desire to fight Battousai again."

"But you still call him Battousai," Kaoru pointed out.

"That is how I have always known him," Enishi said. "I do not mean it as an insult. In fact, some people might think of it as an accolade. I hate to admit it, but though he killed more people than me, he still would be remembered as a famous manslayer that paved the way to a new era as compared to me, a former syndicate boss who went off the deep end."

Kaoru touched his hand tenderly. "I don't think that about you," she said.

"I know you don't," he said. "But some people do."

Kaoru sighed. "If you're talking about Yahiko, it's because he saw you beat Kenshin. Kenshin has always been his hero, and it was hard for him to see you beat Kenshin."

"I didn't beat Battousai, he beat me in the end," Enishi reminded her. "He broke my tachi, remember? And my glasses, too. No, Yahiko hates me because of you. I understand him more than you think. He is like how I was with nee-san. His animosity towards me is because I had taken you away that time, and now, he thinks I'm here to take you away again. That punk has a lot of spirit, I must say. He must take after you."

Kaoru grinned as she finished her lunch. "I know you've been watching us for some time before you started moving against us. I'm wondering, just how much do you know?"

"Everyone's backgrounds and fighting style. I also know about Megumi-san, which reminds me, I have contacts that can help you locate your family, if you wish," Enishi said, finishing his tea.

Megumi flushed. "Thank you, I would really welcome that."

Their lunch finished, they left the restaurant, dropping Megumi off at her clinic before heading back to the dojo. They walked side by side, with Kaoru's hand wrapped lightly around Enishi's arm. Her thoughts wandered to the events of the previous day, and her body stirred when she remembered how it felt when Enishi had made love to her.

Suddenly, Enishi wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, pressing her body against his. "I know what you're thinking," he told her.

Kaoru blushed. "Well… how?"

He smiled, as if proud of himself. "Your breath quickens and you get slightly flushed. I've been noticing it ever since we were on the island."

She rolled her eyes. "You must have been very pleased."

"Very much so," he admitted.

They reached the dojo to find Sanosuke and Yahiko sprawled on the floor while Kenshin was by the well, doing the laundry.

"I'm back," Kaoru announced, shutting the gate.

"Shit, Jo-chan, how did you manage to get up so early?" Sanosuke asked, groaning as he sat up and putting a hand to his head.

"By not drinking more than what I couldn't handle," she retorted, turning to Yahiko. "Yahiko, you missed morning practice."

Yahiko sat up. "Is he going to be here everyday?" he complained.

"Better get used to it, kid," Enishi said, striding into the kitchen to deposit Kaoru's basket.

"You were gone longer than I expected, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin said.

"Megumi-san and I ran into Enishi at the market and he treated us to lunch," Kaoru said, resisting the urge to hit Yahiko on the head.

"You had lunch? You've already eaten?" Sanosuke asked in dismay.

Kaoru sighed as she pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Yes. But fine, I will cook something for you. But I better not hear any complaints about it!"

She went to the kitchen and was surprised to see Enishi putting away the vegetables she had bought earlier. "Thank you," she said. "I need to cook something for the boys."

"What are you going to make?" he asked.

Kaoru thought for a moment. "Beef rice bowl," she said. "I have some beef in that cooler, I got it yesterday."

"I'll start the rice," Enishi said, taking a pot from her cupboard and filling it with rice and water.

Kaoru was surprised. _He knows how to cook?_ She proceeded to cut the beef into small strips, and Enishi came up beside her, placing carrots and cabbage on the chopping board beside her.

"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin poked his head in the kitchen.

"Yes, Kenshin?"

"I was going to offer you some help but I see you already have some," he said, giving Enishi a weird look.

"Yes, I got it from here, Battousai," Enishi said snidely, handing Kaoru a bottle of soy sauce.

"Establishing your territory?" Kaoru asked lightly after Kenshin disappeared.

"More like watching to see you don't spoil the cooking," he said, reaching out to still her hand as she was pouring soy sauce into the pan. "See? Too much soy sauce. As for establishing my territory, I believe I already have," he added, pressing his body against hers.

Kaoru hid a smile as she put the soy sauce down. "You know how to cook?"

"Of course."

"How come you let me cook all those times when we were on the island?"

He shrugged. "You were so eager to do so, I didn't want to stop you." He looked at the beef. "Just three minutes on the beef. You tend to overcook the meat so it comes out tougher."

Kaoru took the beef off the fire just as Enishi was spooning the rice into three bowls. She peered at the rice. It was cooked perfectly. She scowled, and he laughed. "Not do you believe me when I say I know how to cook?"

"I believe you," she said begrudgingly. She walked back out to the courtyard. "Lunch is in the kitchen," she announced.

Kenshin, Sanosuke and Yahiko filed into the house. Having nothing to do, Kaoru went inside the dojo to straighten up the bokkens that had been left lying around. _Yahiko would have to learn the discipline of cleaning up before he graduates from Kamiya Kasshin._

"Kaoru."

She turned to see Enishi standing in the dojo, holding a bokken, a suggestive smile on his lips. "You want to spar? Do you even know how to use a wooden sword?" she asked skeptically.

"You insult me," he said, adopting his attack stance.

Kaoru barely had time to fall into her defensive stance before he launched his attack, swinging his bokken in a horizontal strike, which Kaoru blocked. Kaoru pivoted on her foot as she started a counterattack, but Enishi moved away and swung his bokken, making contact with Kaoru's right thigh.

"You were open," Enishi said. "Right when you shifted your weight."

Kaoru nodded. "All right. Again."

They broke off, and this time, Kaoru was the one who attacked first. She started with a vertical strike, was blocked, then she followed it with a diagonal slash, which was also blocked. "Too slow," Enishi said.

Kaoru stepped back, holding her bokken ready. "Again," she said.

Enishi attacked her, and they continued to exchange blows, Enishi managing to penetrate her defenses as he called them out. After a while, Kaoru held up her bokken, panting slightly. "Break," she said.

He obliged her, stepping back. "Not bad," he said, placing his bokken on the sword rack by the wall.

"Not bad? I didn't even land a hit on you," she said.

He smirked. "I was referring to myself."

Kaoru lunged forward, hitting him on his arm with her bokken and making him laugh.

"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin's alarmed voice rang out. They looked up to see Kenshin, Sanosuke and Yahiko watching them from the dojo door.

"We were just sparring," Kaoru said, cheeks flushed.

"You just hit an unarmed man," Kenshin pointed out.

Enishi took Kaoru's bokken from her hands and placed it on the rack as well. "Let's disarm you before you decide to do worse," he said, still chuckling.

Kaoru placed her hands on her hips, turning her frustrations to Yahiko. "Yahiko, time for your practice."

"Don't take it out on me," Yahiko complained.

"Maybe the kid wants to spar with me," Enishi said suggestively. "Give him a chance to hit me."

"I'll take you on!" Yahiko said, jumping forward.

"I thought you were just complaining a while ago," Kaoru said.

"I'll give him more reasons to complain later," Enishi promised, taking a bokken and tossing it to Yahiko. Then, in a lower voice, he told her, "It's okay, let him have his chance to confront me."

Kaoru let out a breath. "All right," she relented. "I'll leave him to you." With that, Kaoru exited the dojo, followed by Kenshin.

"Kaoru-dono, are you sure that's all right?" he asked concernedly.

"Maybe a beating will take off some of his rudeness. Enishi won't hurt him too much," she said, taking the washings and proceeding to hang them on the line. "Besides, it will do Yahiko some good to spar with someone else other than me."

"I was surprised when he said he was here to court you," he said softly as he helped he hang a blanket.

"Why were you surprised? Is it so unusual to have a man take interest in me in such a way?" she asked, facing him.

"No. Just that particular man." He looked pensive. "You are a good woman, Kaoru-dono, with qualities that would make any man happy. I don't want to see Enishi waste that."

"I believe in him," Kaoru said.

"You are too good," Kenshin said.

"It was this same belief in the goodness of others that allowed me to take you, Sano, and Yahiko in, and look how I have been rewarded for that," she said, giving him a smile. "I think Enishi deserves a chance. Even when I was on that island with him, I felt that he was someone I could be friends with."

"I noticed then that you cared about him. I just didn't think it was more than that," he said sadly.

"Does that upset you?"

Kenshin took a deep breath. "I was always aware of my past sins. When I met you, you made me feel like I deserved happiness just like everybody else. I didn't share that belief… I care about you more than anyone in the world but I stayed away because I was unworthy. I suppose Enishi coming here has made me upset because he could just come and declare his affection for you while I can't."

Time seemed to stop as Kaoru looked at him. _After all this time, I finally have an answer to that question I have stopped asking._ So Kenshin did have affection for her. She felt overwhelmingly sad for him as he stood there, regret evident in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, touching the sleeve of his gi. "I have waited so long for you to make your intentions known but you didn't say anything."

"Is it too late now?" he asked.

Kaoru looked towards the dojo. She weighed what he was saying. He was asking if she was ready to commit herself to Enishi or if he could still have a chance to win her heart. "Yes, it's too late," she answered after a while.

He nodded. "I thought so. As long as you are happy, Kaoru-dono."

Sounds of fighting had ceased from the dojo, and Yahiko and Sano came out, followed by Enishi. Yahiko was holding the side of his ribs while Enishi was trying to hide a smile as he sauntered up to them.

"He hits strong," Enishi said. "But he is too hot-blooded, it's easy to read into his moves."

"Did he hit you?" Kaoru teased.

"Of course not," he said smugly. "But we had so much fun that Sagara wants to have a go at me tomorrow, no swords."

"Absolutely not," Kaoru said, giving Sanosuke a dirty look. "I only allowed Yahiko because I thought it would be a good part of his training, but Sano just wants to fight."

"There you go, Sagara. My boss says no," Enishi said.

"She's only looking out for you," Sanosuke said.

"More like the other way around." Enishi looked up at the sun. "I have to take my leave now. And since Sagara won't be fighting me tomorrow, I might as well invite you all to lunch at the Akabeko."

"You're on," Sanosuke said, the prospect of a free lunch more appealing than a fight.

Enishi turned to Kaoru with a small wink. "I will pick you up tomorrow then." He leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek. "Goodbye," he said, tossing a wave over his shoulder as he strode through the gate.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Yukishiro-san, it's nice to see you here," Tae said, welcoming them all as they entered the Akabeko the following day.

"She probably doesn't know he was the one that blew the old restaurant up," Yahiko said under his breath, but Tae seemed to hear him anyway because she looked fearfully at Enishi.

"Yahiko," Kaoru admonished him.

"It's the truth," Yahiko insisted.

"Yes, it's the truth, it's all right, Tae-san," Enishi said, giving Tae a reassuring nod.

"But I knew that before, and Yukishiro-san and I have already come to an understanding," Tae said hastily. "He was the one who paid for all the rebuilding, and the new restaurant is better than the old one, so…"

Kaoru was surprised. "You mean you knew Enishi was the one responsible?"

Tae nodded. "Of course officially it was that Heishin, as seen from evidence gathered by the police. I told people I got a loan from a trading company just to keep them from wondering where I got all the money. So what will it be today?"

"Beef hotpot for everyone," Enishi said, settling down beside Kaoru. "Sagara might need an extra serving,"

"He always does," Tae said, hurrying away.

"Tae was quick to forgive you. Must be nice to have a lot of money," Yahiko said to Enishi.

Kaoru gave an exasperated sigh, and Enishi gave her knee a reassuring squeeze under the table. "She is a businesswoman," Enishi said.

"But it's blood money!"

Enishi shook his head. "Not all of my money was in the syndicate. I invested some money legally even before I came back to Japan. I knew ahead of time that I was going to cut myself loose from the syndicate and I wanted to live comfortably so I prepared for it."

"But didn't you get into the syndicate by killing your foster parents and stealing their money?" Yahiko persisted.

Kaoru would have stopped Yahiko at this point, for Kenshin and Sanosuke were beginning to look uncomfortable, but Enishi answered immediately.

"Yes, but I did it to survive and to achieve my goal at that time. It wasn't right, what I did, but that was in the past. Past is past, and it is the present and the future that matter. Besides, if I didn't let go of the past, I would still be clamoring for Battousai's head. I'm sure Battousai has killed more people than me, and if your logic states that I cannot use my money now because I obtained it by killing two people for my survival before, then it follows that Battousai shouldn't be allowed to live now because he has killed people for his own survival before."

"That is true," Kenshin admitted.

Yahiko fell quiet at this, not wanting to make Kenshin uncomfortable.

"And Battousai got paid to kill people," Enishi said.

"He did it because he believed in fighting to create a better country," Yahiko said, defending Kenshin. "He was fighting for his belief."

"And I did the things I did because I believed my sister's murderer had to be punished. That was my belief." Enishi gazed at Yahiko steadily. "Do you remember the first words you said to me when we met on that island?"

Yahiko was deep in thought, and Kaoru watched, amazed at how Enishi could command the conversation as he did with Yahiko. "I said if you had killed Kaoru, I would kill you myself," Yahiko answered quietly.

"And just like that, you threw away the principles of Kamiya Kasshin, ready to avenge the death of a person who is not even your real sister, whom you have known for only a year. I am not belittling your relationship with Kaoru, it is a good thing, but can you at least imagine my relationship with Tomoe?" Yahiko maintained his silence, and Enishi continued. "Besides, I'm sure you will also come after my head if Kaoru had slipped off my ship and got eaten by sharks, even if it was an accident."

"Enishi, that's terrible," Kaoru said as Sanosuke snorted into his tea.

"I know, so I'm thankful it didn't happen," he said. "We weren't friends then, so I wouldn't have jumped in to save you."

"I suppose now you're obliged to jump in after her," Sanosuke said.

"I'd rather not let her fall at all," Enishi answered with such protectiveness in his voice that Kaoru fought to keep herself from smiling sappily.

"But don't think that just because you treated us to lunch today you get out of our fight," Sanosuke warned him, leaning forward. "Kenshin and I had a serious fight before we became friends. I expect the same from you, no matter what Jo-chan says."

Enishi looked at him skeptically. "How do you expect to beat me if you can't even land a hit on Battousai before?"

"It doesn't matter if Sano wins or loses, he just wants to enjoy a good fight," Kaoru explained.

Enishi grinned. "Is that so?"

Sanosuke nodded. "Tomorrow, then. I'm too full to fight today."

Enishi turned serious. "Might have to wait a few days. I need to go to Kyoto for business tomorrow."

"You're going away?" Kaoru asked, surprised. "Couldn't you let someone else handle your business for you? You've been here less than a week."

"I'd rather not go, but I've been specifically requested," he said, sighing in a rare show of frustration. "One of the reasons why the government doesn't come after me is because I work for them on the side. Since I have a network of merchants all over Japan, I have access to information, some of which the government finds valuable."

"I'm not surprised the government tapped you," Kenshin said.

"Ordinarily it's just gathering information and doing consultation, but this time Shinomori asked for me."

Yahiko was surprised. "Aoshi?"

"Yes. He and I have worked together a few times before."

"So you have been in touch with Aoshi," Kaoru said, nodding.

"The past year, yes."

"I wouldn't have thought you'd be friends with the iceman," Sanosuke said.

Enishi shrugged. "We have a lot in common."

Kaoru hid a smile when Enishi did not deny that Aoshi was his friend. _He really is changing,_ she thought. "How long will you be away?" she asked, feeling that familiar pang.

"I'm not sure."

"Will it be dangerous?"

"No," he answered.

"Then why don't we come with you to Kyoto? It's been a while since we visited the Aoiya."

Enishi shook his head. "Not a good idea."

"You said it was not dangerous," she persisted.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You're too smart," he muttered, realizing that she had trapped him with her own words.

She touched his arm. "Please, Enishi, I'd really like to come with you to Kyoto." She didn't want to be left behind again the way Kenshin had left her when he fought Shishio.

He looked at her for a long time, as if weighing the consequences. "All right," he relented. "I will stop by the train station later and secure tickets. I assume everyone is going?"

There were assents from around the table, and Enishi shrugged. "Train leaves tomorrow morning."

 **xxx**

Shinomori Aoshi was waiting for them at the train station when they arrived in Kyoto the next day. If he was surprised that Enishi had not come by himself, he did not show it.

"I didn't have time to send a telegram to say I'm bringing a party," Enishi said, his face wearing a jovial smile. His tachi was wrapped up and slung over his left shoulder, and he had his glasses back on. It was a shade closer to the Enishi that Kaoru had met on the island, with none of the tension that he bore before.

Aoshi nodded. "The Aoiya will welcome them," he said. "The police chief is requesting our presence at the station as soon as possible."

"I have to see Kaoru to the Aoiya first," Enishi said."

"We can get to the Aoiya ourselves," Kaoru said, not wanting to be a bother.

"I don't doubt that," Enishi said, taking her by the elbow. "But I still want to do it. I'll just catch up with you at the station, Shinomori."

Aoshi fell into step beside them. "No point in going ahead by myself."

"Why did you call me anyway? Surely the police can handle storming this safehouse by themselves?"

"It's what I thought myself, but…" Aoshi's voice trailed off and he glanced at Kaoru.

Enishi sighed. "Whatever it is, you can say it in front of Kaoru. I can't keep anything from her anyway." He lightly squeezed her elbow and flashed her a smile.

"When the police took one of the safe houses last week, there was a signature of a skilled assassin on the scene. I tried to track him, but I lost the trail. I need to you to watch my back while I try and pick it up again."

"I see," Enishi said easily. "Why didn't you ask one from the police to watch your back for you?"

Aoshi threw him a knowing look. "I prefer to remain alive."

They reached the Aoiya and were welcomed by a surprised but delighted Misao. "Kaoru-san! It's so good to see you!" The two girls embraced, and Misao stepped back to look at Enishi. "Enishi-san," she said in greeting.

"Misao," Enishi answered, nodding. He set Kaoru's bag down and turned to her. "I'll be going now."

"Be careful," she said as he turned to join Aoshi, who was already waiting outside.

"Enishi-san," Misao said. "Please take care of Aoshi-sama."

Enishi nodded, hoisting his tachi over his shoulder and pushing his glasses up his nose. He and Aoshi walked off.

"That's a sight I thought I would never see," Sanosuke said in amazement.

"For some reason, Aoshi-sama trusts him," Misao said.

"How many times have they worked together before?" Kaoru asked as they walked deeper into the Aoiya.

"Maybe three or four times," Misao answered. "The last time, Aoshi-sama was badly hurt. Enishi-san saved his life. He doesn't spend time here at the Aoiya, though. As soon as his work is done, he leaves. I don't know where he goes but Aoshi-sama seems to always know how to reach him."

After they were showed their rooms, Kaoru went down to join Misao in the sitting room. Sanosuke and Yahiko had gone to town to go sightseeing, and Kenshin had gone to visit Tomoe's grave. Misao was busying herself with a flower arrangement, but Kaoru could see the lines of worry on her face.

"It's hard, worrying, isn't it?" Kaoru asked, sitting down with her.

"Yes, but it's a life I chose," Misao said.

"That is why I couldn't let Enishi go off to Kyoto by himself. I didn't want to be left behind again like when Kenshin went off to fight Shishio."

Misao looked at Kaoru. "Kaoru-san… is Enishi…?"

"He's courting me," Kaoru admitted.

Misao seemed to forget her own worries as she squealed and hugged Kaoru. "You lucky girl!" she exclaimed. "He is so handsome and strong and incredibly wealthy!"

Kaoru laughed. Leave it to Misao to include Enishi's wealth among his redeeming qualities. "He just came back into my life a week ago but I'm quite sure I want him to stay."

"What about Himura? Are they okay with each other?" Misao asked, turning serious.

"They are polite to each other. Even Sano lately seems to have warmed up to Enishi. It's Yahiko that is very resistant."

"He was a wreck when we all thought you were dead," Misao said. "But I am sure he will accept Enishi once he realizes how happy you are."

"He is being rude but Enishi is being more than patient with him," Kaoru said.

"Well he is still a kid no matter how much he tries to be a man." Misao finished her flower arrangement and stretched. "Do you want to go to town, Kaoru-san? I hate staying put in one place when Aoshi-sama goes off on assignment."

"Let's go," Kaoru agreed. "I am in the mood for some sweets."

"We might run into the boys there," Misao said.

They walked to town, appreciating the cool night. There were a lot of people around in the early evening, but they had no trouble spying Sanosuke's spiky brown hair in the crowd. The street fighter saw them as well, and hurried over.

"Jo-chan! Am I glad to see you. There's a sake festival over by the other end of the street but Yahiko and I have no money," he said hopefully.

Kaoru threw him a dirty look. "Fine. Just let me finish getting my sweets and I'll walk over with you. But Sano, no sake for Yahiko please."

Kaoru and Misao finished their purchases and walked down the street with Sanosuke. The neared the sake stalls, and Yahiko came up to them, running. "There's a pstry festival at the other block," he said excitedly. "With stuff cojming from other countries! Kaoru, can I have some money?"

Kaoru sighed, fishing out her wallet and giving him a few coins. Yahiko started to run off, but Misao caught up with him. "Wait! I want to see those important stuff!"

Kaoru was left standing with Sanosuke. "Let's go get you your sake then follow those two," she said.

Sanosuke peered at her wallet. "You have a lot of money," he observed.

"Enishi left me some money to help with expenses at the Aoiya, since there are for of us staying there," Kaoru explained.

"That Enishi," Sanosuke muttered as he carried his newly purchased sake. "I must confess, Kaoru, that at first I thought he wasn't much, just another crazy guy out to get Kenshin. I never would have guessed he would have the smarts as well. The way he talked with Yahiko last night… he actually treated Yahiko like he was a grown up."

"I mean to thank you for being nicer to Enishi lately," Kaoru said.

Sanosuke was serious as they walked down the street. "Jo-chan, you are like a sister to me. I know it doesn't always look like it, but I do want the best for you. I was wary when he first arrived, but I talked with Kenshin and Megumi."

"You did?" Kaoru asked.

He nodded. "Kenshin told me Enishi was ready to abandon his jinchu for you. It must have been terrible for you, watching them fight on that island."

"It was," she admitted.

"You always have been a bleeding heart, I just want you to be sure that it's not just pity you feel for him," Sanosuke warned her.

Kaoru thought about it. "It's not pity," she said. "Definitely not pity. Perhaps at first, on the first day on that island, but after a few days I saw that he was much more than a broken man."

"Megumi said that you really like him, so I thought I'd try and make things easier for you. I know Yahiko's already being a handful."

"Thank you," Kaoru said again.

They reached Yahiko and Misao, who were by now enjoying some foreign pastries that looked like little pies. Misao handed Kaoru a piece. "Here you go, Kaoru-san," she said merrily.

"I thought I would find you all here," Kenshin said, appearing from out of nowhere.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru said. "I thought you were visiting Tomoe's grave."

"Yes, that I was, but I came back to the Aoiya to find everyone gone." He took a pastry for himself. "Enishi would be worried if he knew you were out at night with him working on a delicate case."

"She's not in any danger, I'm here," Sanosuke said.

"I know, but Enishi doesn't know yet how reliable you are," Kenshin said, smiling. "He's never had to depend on anyone before, and he is only starting to realize the value of friends now that he has started partnering with Aoshi."

"Why do we always have to talk about him," Yahiko complained.

"Because he is so interesting," Misao said, giggling. "And he makes Kaoru-san weak in the knees."

"Stop it," Kaoru said, blushing.

"Come to think of it, we haven't really asked Jo-chan about it before," Sanosuke said, grinning. "When did you start falling for Mr. Glasses?"

"I don't need to answer that," Kaoru said, blushing even more furiously.

"Was it when he kidnapped you," Misao said dreamily.

Kenshin laughed, and Kaoru looked at him. His amethyst eyes were shining with mirth. He noticed her looking at him and he gave her a special smile as he took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Nothing would make us all happier than you going after your own happiness for a change, Kaoru-dono," he said. He was telling her that he was all right, that he was at peace with her.

 _He really is a good man,_ Kaoru thought. Suddenly, she threw her arms around him. "Thank you," she whispered. "I love him."

"I know you do," Kenshin said, patting her back.

Sanosuke groaned. "Don't be so sappy, Jo-chan. I don't want to make a scene here."

"Let's go back to the Aoiya," she said, wiping her eyes.

"What are you crying for?" Yahiko asked.

Kaoru shook her head. "It's nothing. I just wish I had told him I loved him before he left."

"Don't worry about him," Kenshin said. "He is strong, He will be all right, I am sure."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Kaoru scanned the newspapers, reading through the articles, wondering if she would find anything related to Enishi's case.

"Kaoru?"

She looked up to see Yahiko looking at her apprehensively. "What is it?" she asked, putting the newspaper away.

He sat down beside her, frowning. "Did you mean what you said the other night? That you love him?"

"Yes," she said simply, looking at him expectantly.

"I couldn't understand that," he said, looking away, troubled.

"I couldn't at first either, but that is the truth," Kaoru said.

"I always thought you would end up with Kenshin."

"I thought so too," she admitted. "I do care a great deal about him, but when I think about it, the one I want to be beside me all the time is Enishi."

"What is it about him that you like?"

Kaoru thought about it. "He has always been honest with me. Even when I was with him, on that island, he always made in known to me what was on his mind. At the same time, he also sought to know what was on my mind, what I thought about things. He didn't hide anything from me, even all the terrible things he has done before."

"I noticed he doesn't really evade questions," Yahiko agreed.

"What I was with him on that island, I saw him at times trying to maintain control over his emotions and his temper. It meant a lot to me, those times that he tried, especially since I knew that he tried for me." Kaoru smiled fondly. "I also like his sense of humor, even if it is bordering on meanness. I am too nice. If it were just me, I would probably not know it when people are already taking advantage of me. I need Enishi's instincts of self-preservation, his shrewdness. I know that he will take care of me."

"Yahiko, it may seem odd to say it, but he is not the evil villain you think him to be. I know it is hard to think that way, but… his jinchu, he didn't do it for himself. He did it to make his sister happy. Yes, his idea was crazy, but his intention was to make Tomoe happy. When we became friends on that island, he came to value me as well. I don't know if Kenshin told you, or Sano, but before you all arrived, Enishi already abandoned his jinchu because he knew it made me unhappy."

"But he still fought Kenshin."

"He lost his internal battle," she said, nodding. "When Enishi thought that Kenshin was also going to take me away from him as well. He didn't know that nothing and no one can ever take me away from him."

Kaoru looked at her hands. "Even when he was taken away by the police, even when I was back at the dojo, I was still with him. I tried to show all of you I was happy, I was all right, but every night when I was alone in my room, he was all that occupied my thoughts. I prayed for him, I worried about him, I longed for him. And now, he is here, and he is doing everything right, and I have a chance to be completely happy."

She paused. "He is not as selfish as you think. He knows I want to be with him, but why didn't he just come and take me away? Because he knows I have my own friends as well. When he said he was going to court me, he wasn't talking about me. He was talking about courting all of you. He knows I will not be completely happy unless everything is all right with my friends as well."

Yahiko was thoughtful. "Are you saying that the only things standing between you and happiness are your friends?"

Kaoru dropped her head. "More like just you. Kenshin and Sano and Megumi already gave their approval." She met his eyes. "Yahiko, you are like a brother to me. I know you think of me as a sister, too. I know you only want to look out for me and that is why you are acting like this. But I'm asking you to give Enishi a chance. It would make me very, very happy."

Yahiko exhaled. "How can I refuse that request, Kaoru? Of course I want you to be happy. I might never like him, but I will stop being nasty." He shook his head. "It was actually fun sparring with him."

Kaoru's face broke into a radiant smile. "Oh Yahiko, thank you!"

She moved as if to hug him, but he scrambled away in a panic. "No! Geez! No hugs!"

 **xxx**

It had been five days since Enishi and Aoshi had left. Kaoru kept herself busy helping out at the Aoiya. She knew Enishi hated it when she moped and she did not want to look like a basket case when he came back.

Misao was a different case. Perhaps it was because Aoshi was badly hurt in his previous assignment. Kaoru learned that Aoshi had been separated from the rest of the police force at that time when an explosion caused the building they had been searching to collapse. It was Enishi that led the search party for Aoshi, not giving up even when the police thought it was futile.

"Several hours had already passed by the time they found him. Aoshi-sama was already going into shock, Enishi-san carried him straight to the doctor and Aoshi-sama was able to recover," Misao had said, her face pale as she recalled the ordeal.

Kaoru was just about to reassure Misao again when Yahiko called from downstairs. "Kaoru! Misao! It's them, they're back!"

Misao jumped to her feet, flying down the stairs. Kaoru followed at a more leisurely pace, joining Yahiko, Kenshin and Sano by the Aoiya entrance. Sure enough, she saw Aoshi and Enishi walking to the Aoiya. She was relieved oto see that neither of them appeared hurt. Aoshi had his usual stoic expression, and Enishi was wearing a smile that got wider and wider with each step closer to the Aoiya.

"Aoshi-sama!" Misao cried as she ran ahead to meet them.

Kaoru felt Sano prodding her back. "Go on, Jo-chan, I know you're dying to run to Yukishiro as well."

"Sano, stay out of it," Kaoru said, elbowing him. However, she stepped forward to meet Enishi.

By the time she reached Enishi, his smile was full blown. "I hope you haven't been waiting at the door the whole time," he said.

"No," she said, smiling up at him. "But I am so glad to see you." She wrapped her arms around his next, relishing his familiar warmth as he drew her to him. Kaoru leaned up to kiss him, not caring if the others were watching.

Enishi returned her kiss, then chuckled. "We should continue this later, we might be making the weasel girl jealous. Shinomori has a stick perpetually stuck up his ass."

Kaoru laughed as Enishi released her. Hand in hand, they walked back to rejoin the others.

"Enishi," Kenshin said in greeting. "Everything went well?"

"Yes, it was a straightforward case," Enishi answered.

"I'm so glad you are both all right," Misao said happily. "I had Omasu prepare some rice balls."

"I prefer some beef hotpot," Enishi said.

"We can go to the Shirobeko," Kaoru suggested.

Enishi nodded. "My treat," he said.

"Sorry but I have to decline," Aoshi said. "I'm too weary."

Misao looked disappointed. "I will stay home as well," she said. "To prepare dinner for Aoshi-sama."

"I will never say no to beef hotpot," Sanosuke said.

"You will never say no to free food," Yahiko pointed out.

"We will bring some food back for you," Kaoru told Misao as Enishi briefly went into the Aoiya to deposit his tachi.

They walked to the Shirobeko, which was only a short way, where they were welcomed by Tae's sister. When their food arrived, they began to eat in earnest. After they have had a few mouthfuls, Kaoru turned to Enishi, studying his face for any bruises or other injuries she might have missed on her first inspection.

"Are you not tired?" she asked him.

"I am," he said, pausing in between mouthfuls. "But Shinomori and I have been out for five days in the field eating nothing but packed lunches, I really wanted good hot food tonight."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. Of course. Enishi used to be a syndicate boss who was used to a life of luxury. "You and your comforts."

"Good food, indoor plumbing, and a real bed," he confirmed.

"So what was that case all about?" Sanosuke asked curiously.

"Drug ring. But this particular group had hired a circle of assassins to protect their assets, which is why they called Shinomori. And after what happened to Shinomori last time… well, he called me." Enishi chuckled. "Good call on his part. We thought there were just two assassins but there were actually four of them."

"I wish I'd gone with you. I could really use some action," Sanosuke said.

"We still have our fight, I haven't forgotten that," Enishi said, his eyes turning steely.

Sanosuke brightened up. "Glad you haven't."

They continued their dinner, Kaoru feeling contented that Enishi and the rest of her friends were there with her. "Will we be going back to Tokyo soon?" she asked him.

Enishi nodded. "I have no more business here. We can go whenever you want."

"We have to get treats for Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan," Yahiko reminded them.

"Tomorrow, when we buy train tickets," Kaoru promised him.

Enishi paid their bill after they have had their fill. As they were leaving, Sae hailed Kaoru.

"Kaoru-san, can you take these letters to my sister? She was thinking about changing the Akabeko's uniforms and I asked a local artist to make some illustrations for her."

Kaoru took the envelopes and placed them in the sleeve of her kimono. "No problem, Sae-san," she said.

She said goodbye, and turned around to join her friends. She was surprised to see Sanosuke and Yahiko waiting for her while Enishi and Kenshin were already walking ahead.

"Eh?" she said.

Sanosuke took her arm. "I'd leave them alone for now, Jo-chan. Looks like they are talking about some serious things."

Enishi and Kenshin were walking close together, the rurouni talking while Enishi listened, head slightly bent towards the smaller man.

"I agree," Kaoru said. She fell into step between Sanosuke and Yahiko. "I'm proud of you, Yahiko. You actually managed to hold your tongue tonight."

"I did promise you I would stop being nasty," Yahiko said. "Besides, Enishi looked like he was really tired tonight."

The Aoiya came into sight, and Kaoru saw Kenshin offer his hand to Enishi as they reached its gate. Enishi shook it, then squeezed Kenshin's shoulder as he walked inside the inn. Enishi turned to wait for Kaoru as she walked up with Sanosuke and Yahiko.

"Well, good night," Sanosuke said, yawning as he walked past Enishi. "Thanks for dinner again Yukishiro."

"I'm just fattening you up before I have you served up," Enishi answered with a smirk.

"Good night," Yahiko said as well when he passed Enishi.

"Good night, brat."

Yahiko quickly whirled around to punch Enishi in the stomach, but Enishi was quick to catch his fist. "Still predictable," Enishi said, releasing his hand. "Try again next time."

Kaoru walked up to Enishi. "Good night," she said.

Enishi caught her hand. "Not so fast," he murmured. He led her to the Aoiya's back garden. He sat down on the steps, pulling her onto his lap. "I haven't had enough of you yet and I don't think I ever will." He buried his face in her hair.

Kaoru smiled as he wrapped his arms around her. She loved being close to him. "Enishi, there's something I want to tell you. I should have said it before you left, so I'm not going to wait a moment longer. I love you. I think I have for a long time now."

She felt him smile behind her. "I bet not as long as I have loved you," he said.

It was their first declaration of love, and they let it sink in for a few minutes. "Battousai spoke to me," he said.

"I saw."

"I told you before that he cares for you. Well, he told me so tonight, though I knew it since last year already. He said he loves you but he didn't pursue you because he thought he was unworthy. Then he said that he told you so, after I arrived."

"I told him it was too late," Kaoru said.

"He said that even though I didn't finish the jinchu I planned before, I still managed to take you away from him, so in the end, it's like I was still able to complete my jinchu though not in the way that I first planned."

Enishi was thoughtful. "I really wasn't thinking of it that way. Courting you was never a plan to steal you away from him. It was something that I wanted for myself. I wanted you so much for myself. I already knew this when we parted ways on that island. It was the thought of you that kept me going, and drove me to become a better man. I knew you already accepted me for who I was before, but I wanted to be better. I wanted to be someone you could be proud of."

Kaoru leaned her head back against his shoulder. "But I already think very highly of you," she said.

"I told Battousai that if he really did love you, then he would have protected you, fought for your affection, he should have made himself worthy of you, all those things I was willing to do for you. He said I made sense." Enishi smiled. "He also said that I was the better man for you."

Kaoru sighed. "He is a good person," she said.

"Yes, I see that now. And for the first time, I also feel sorry for him. He loved my sister and he lost her, and he lost you as well."

"I hope he still finds someone," Kaoru said.

"Yes. Someone else. Not you though… you're already off the market, aren't you?" he asked her, his arms tightening around her.

"Yes, I'm off the market," she agreed, laughter leaking into her voice. She twisted around to give him a kiss.

"I'd like to make that legal as well," he murmured against her lips. He drew back and fished a ring from his pocket. "Kaoru, will you marry me?"

Kaoru stared at him. "When did you get that?"

"Before I went back to Tokyo."

"You were sure I'd welcome you back?"

He was serious. "I couldn't imagine my life without you. I was willing to do whatever it takes to win you. I suppose I was just lucky it didn't take much," he added.

She smacked him on the arm. "You are too smug sometimes."

He dangled the ring in front of her. "So do you want it or not?" he prodded her.

She laughed as she gave him her hand. "Put it on me. Yes, I will marry you."

Enishi slipped the ring on her finger then leaned in for a kiss. "Next time I bed you, it will be as your husband."

Kaoru deepened the kiss, running her hands over his shoulders. "In that case," she said breathlessly, "can we get married tomorrow?"

 **End.**

 **Note: This was written about a year ago, when my interest in Rurouni Kenshin was revived after seeing the live action movies. I watched all the anime and the OVAs again and reread the manga.**

 **Sorry for those who are offended by alternate pairings. I like Kenshin/Kaoru but Enishi/Kaoru has a certain excitement to it that I just couldn't resist. For now, they are my favorite couple.**

 **I do feel sorry for Kenshin. In this case, the tiger beats the sleeping dragon. Should be a lesson to him, though… next time he shouldn't be afraid to claim it :p**


End file.
